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GEORGE WASHINGTON. 



FREEMASONRY 

IN 

THREE PARTS 



BEING A SKETCH OF ITS 

ORIGIN, SPREAD AND OBJECT 



f 



BY 
J . P . CUMMINS 



Guthrie. Okla. 

The State Capital Company 

1903 






LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two Copies Received 

JUN 24 1904 
A Cooyrl^ht Entry 

pU4^- 7-- /^C 4- 
(SlASS CL. XXo. No, 

^3 5 ^ If 

COPY B 




J ^ 



Copyright, 1903, 
J. P. Cummins, 

KiNGKISHEK, OKLA. 



THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO THE PAST, PRES- 
ENT AND FUTURE GRAND MASTERS OK THR 
GRAND I,ODGE OF FREE MASONS OF THE TER- 
RITORY OF OKLAHOMA. INCLUDING KINGFISH- 
ER LODGE NO. 8, OF WHICH I AM A MEMBER. 

J. P. CUMMINS. 



Table of Contents. 



Page. 

The Egyptian Priest 19 

Socrates 24 

The Legend of Masonry 28 

The Past of Masonry 37 

Comment on Legend 39 

Enoch the Originator 41 

Enoch's Work Completed 44 

Farewell to Enoch 45 

The Spread of Masonry 47 

The Ancient Scottish Rite 54 

Jacob's Ladder 61 

Our Heroes 63 

Joshua Commanded the Sun to Stand Still. 68 

Building King Solomon's Temple 72 

Herod's Temple 81 

The Essens and Maccabees 84 

Tracing the Histories of Fraternities 90 

The Countries in Which Masonry Spread 96 

The Object of Freemasonry 100 

"0, Why Should the Spirit of Mortal be Proud?" 101 

The Grand Architect Ill 

What Does the Word "Happy' Mean? 125 

Solomon Repented 127 

Masonry as Looked at By Prominent Masons 145 

Andrew Jackson's Idea 161 

Lord Durham and Erastus Burr 162-3 

Our Own Idea of Masonry 162 

Wm. Smith as a Mason 168 

The Infidel 174 

Hiram of Tyre and Hiram Abiff 183 

"I Am on a Shining Pathway" 220 

An Explanation of the Prophecy of Daniel 221 



PROLOGUE. 



PROLOGUE. 



This book is submitted to the Fraternity throughout the 
world, knowing as the writer does, that many books have been 
written on the subject of Free Masonry and that many 
writers have tried to explore the past and ascertain the time 
and place where the mysteries of Free Masonry originated, 
and if possible, to trace its origin to some partic- 
ular person. This will never be fully accomplished. Each 
writer tries with all the research at his command, and pro- 
duces historical facts or evidence to establish the position that 
he takes. Not one of these writers so far has been able to 
convince himself that he is absolutely correct, and the public 
will permit the writer to give his view of the origin of 
Free Masonry and hear the witnesses and reasoning that the 
writer may produce. We hope with the same patience and al- 
lowance that has been given to others. 

In writing this book, we shall avoid the use of all the 
latin phrases that usually occur in most all books that have 
been written on any subject, and we shall attempt to use plain 
and concise language so that all who read may understand it 
and we hope that long after the writer has gone, some one may 



8 PROLOGUE. 

be brought to search this and other books on this great subject, 
and be brought from darkness to light, not only in the Kitual- 
istic book of Free and Accepted Masonry, but that he may be 
brought to the Kingdom of Christ the Son of God, through the 
Lion of the tribe of Judea. 

"The morning light Is breaking, 

The darkness disappears, 
Sinners ought to be quaking 

With penitential tears. 

"Let all true Masons be making, 

Their peace with God while here, 
That when by death they are parting. 

That it may be without fear. 

"Oh! land of wondrous story, 

Thy Masonic Mysteries hangs oe'r thee. 

Let us ponder them over 

While around us they hover." 



The Origin, Spread and Object of 
Free Masonry. 



CHAPTEE I. 



The origin of Free Masonry is one of the subjects that 
has been talked about by generation after generation and has 
attracted the attention of the best men and minds of each 
generation for thousands of years. 

Writers have explored the Holy Land and have gone down 
deep into the bowels of the earth for the purpose of discover- 
ing types, s3^mbols, and relics of Free Masonry. For what 
purpose has so much time and money been spent ? There can 
be but one answer to this question. 

But before entering upon the argument of this subject, 
permit me to make an observation. Free Masonry. All of 
it is contained in the Holy Bible, which Book I believe to be 
divine. Precious Treasure, thou art mine. 

Masonry first existed in a very crude form and was con- 
fined principally to men engaged in erecting and constructing 
•buildings of various kinds and structures. Men who worked in 
building houses of stone and brick with lime and mortar, and 
no doubt that extended in a limited degree to every person that 
engaged in building houses and edifices of all descriptions, 



10 THE ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 

for the word mason, as described by Webster and Worcester is a 
person or man whose occupation is laying stone or bricks in 
walls or structures of any kind, and they are known as 
builders. 

We are informed by Montague, in his Universal History 
of Masonry. Vol. 15, Page 7, "That in Eg}^pt and those coun- 
tries of Asia which surround it. Free Masonry flourished when 
the arts and sciences flourished. That other nations were 
involved in ignorance ; it is in Egypt only we discover marks 
of its existence in the remotest ages of the world." 

Says the author, "Let us consider this matter. Egypt in 
its early history was talked about and many writers wrote 
about it and spent time and money exploring the country and 
the country adjacent to it. In fact civilization first existed in 
Egypt. Egypt was the mother and home of civilization. Pro- 
fane and Sacred History establishes this fact beyond dispute. 

The civilization which grew up on the banks of the Nile 
is uncertain as to the time ; some writers say it was about 2700 
B. C, others 2080 B. C. Minis, the half mythical founder of 
the Nation, captured Lower Egypt and built Memphis, which 
he made his Capital. Succeeding him down to the conquest 
of Egypt by the Persians and Cambyses, 529 B. C, there were 
(26,) Twenty-six dynasties of Pharoahs or Kings. 

The history of this long period of over 2000 years is di- 
vided into that of the Old, Middle and New Empires. About 
this time the great Pyramids were built at Ghezeh; the best 
known of these Kings was Khufer, termed Cheops, (Keeps), 
by Heroditus. But without following this further, which is a 
matter of General History, we will say that all historians agree 



THE ORIGIN" OF FREE MASONRY. 11" 

that civilization and its history commences on the banks of 
the NilC;, Tigres and Euphrates. 

There the rich alluvial soil, the genial climate and the- 
abnndant natural products of the earth offered every induce- 
ment to a Nomadic People to settle and commence a National 
life. Accordingly, amid the obscurity of antiquity we catch 
sight of Memphis, Thebes, Mnevah and Babylon, the earliest- 
cities of the world. 

This was 2700 years B. C. ; we have 1300 years from the 
creation of the world of which we have very little account and 
concerning this time we are left almost to discoveries made 
by recent historians in their search to establish Free Masonry 
as one of the first organizations among the children of men. 
which all well informed Masons claim, that it has existed from- 
time immemorial. 



12 THE ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 



CHAPTER 11. 

Mackey, in his extensive and useful treatise and work on 
Tree Masonry, says: 

"Years ago in writing an article on this subject, under 
the impressions made upon me by the fascinating theories of 
Dr. Oliver, though I never completely accepted his views, I 
iras led to place the organization of Free Masonry, as it now 
exists, at the building of King Solomon's Temple. Many 
years of subsequent research have led me greatly to modify 
the idea I had previously held, although I do not rank my- 
self among those modem Iconoclasts who refuse credence to 
every document, whose authenticity, if admitted, would give 
the order a birth anterior to the beginning of the last century. 
I confess that I can not find any incontrovertable evidence that 
-would trace Masonry, as now organized, beyond the Build- 
ing Corporations of the Middle Ages.'' 

After theorizing and quoting from many authors of 
Modern and Ancient History, he concludes by saying: "And 
so, when I speak of the antiquity of Masonry, I must say, 
if I would respect the Axioms of Historical Science, that its 
body came out of the Middle Ages, but that its spirit is to be 
traced to a far remoter period. Pages 77 and 78, Mackey's 
Work on Free Masonry." Again, in a very extensive work 



THE ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 13" 

on Free Masonry, styled "The Constitution of Free Masonry/^' 
written and published in 1723, and dedicated to His Grace, the 
Duke of Montague, by order of His Grace the Duke of Whar- 
ton the present Eight Worshipful Grand Master of Free 
Masons, by J. T. Desaguliers, Deputy Grand Master, Thirty 
volumes in all, in the Fifteenth volume. Second Book on pages 
3 and 4, he commences by relating what the qualifications of 
a candidate had to be in the following manner : 

"Free Masonry is an ancient and respectable institution 
embracing individuals of every Nation, of every religion and 
of every condition in life. Wealth, power and talents are not 
necessary to the person of a Free Mason. An unblemished 
character and virtuous conduct are the only qualifications 
which are requisite for admission into the Order. In order to 
confirm this institution and attain the ends for which it was 
originally formed, every candidate must come under a solemn 
engagement never to divulge the mysteries and ceremonies of 
the Order, nor communicate to the uninitated those important 
precepts with which he may be instructed, and those proceed- 
ings and plans in which the Fraternity may be engaged. 

^' After the candidate has undergone the necessary cere- 
monies and received the usual instructions, appropriate words 
and significant signs are imparted to him, that he may be en- 
abled to distinguish his brethren of the Order from the un- 
initiated public, and convince others that he is entitled to the 
privileges of a brother, should he be visited by distress or 
want in a distant land. 

"If the newly admitted member be found qualified for a 
high degree, he is promoted, after due intervals of probation, 
till he has received that Masonic knowledge which enables him 



14 THE ORIGIN" OF FREE MASONRY. 

to hold the highest offices of trust to which the Fraternity 
can raise its members. In all ages, it has been the object of 
Free Masonry, not only to inform the minds of its mem- 
bers, by instructing them in the sciences and useful arts, but 
to better their hearts by enforcing the precepts of religion 
and morality. In the course of the ceremonies of initiation, 
brotherly love, loyalty and other virtues are inculcated in 
hieroglyphic smybols and the candidate is often reminded 
that there is an eye above which observeth the workings of his 
heart, and is ever fixed upon the thoughts and the actions 
of men. 

"At regular and appointed seasons, convivial meetings of 
the Fraternity are held in lodges constructed for this purpose. 
Temperance, harmony and joy characterize these mixed as- 
semblies. All distinctions of rank seem to be laid aside, all 
differences in religions and political sentiments are forgotten 
and those petty quarrels, which disturb the quiet of private 
life, cease to agitate the mind. Every one strives to give 
happiness to his brother, and men seem to recollect, for once, 
that they spring from the same origin, that they are possessed 
of the same nature, and destined for the same end.^' 

I have quoted the above so that the reader may have some 
idea of Free Masonry before attempting to give his idea of 
its origin, and he says: 

"Such are the general features of an institution, which 
has of late produced so great division in the sentiments of 
the learned, respecting its origin and tendency. While a cer- 
tain class of men, a little over anxious for the dignity of their 
Order, have represented it as coeval with the world, others, 
influenced by an opposite motive, have maintained it to be the 



THE ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 15 

invention of English Jesuits, to promote the views of that 
intriguing and dangerous association. Some philosophers, 
among whom we may reckon the celebrated chevalier Eamsey, 
have labored to prove that Free Masonry arose during the 
crusades; that it was a secondary order of chivalry; that its 
fforms originated from that warlike institution and were 
adapted to the peaceful habits of scientific men. 

Mr. Clinch has attempted, with considerable ingenuity 
and learning, to deduce its origin from the institution of Py- 
thagoras. M. Burrel supposes that it is a continuation of 
the Templars, while others, with a degree of audacity and 
malice rarely to be found in the character of ingenious men, 
have imputed the origin of Free Masonry to secret associa- 
tions averse to the interest of true government, and pursuing 
the villainous and chimerical project of leveling the distinc- 
tions of society, and freeing the human mind from the sacred 
obligations of mortality and religion. 

Without adopting any of these untenable opinions, or at- 
tempting to discover the precise period when Free Masonry 
arose, it may be sufficient to show that it can justly lay claim 
to an early origin, and that is has existed from that period 
to the present day under different forms and different 
appellations. 

In the execution of this task, the candid inquirer will 
be satisfied with strong and numerous resemblances, as the 
nature of the subject excludes the possibility of rigid 
demonstrations. Every human institution is subject to great 
and numerous variations; the different aspects under which 
they appear, and the principles by which they are regulated, 
depend upon the progress of civilization, upon the nature of 



16 THE ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 

the government by which they are protected, and on the pecu- 
liar opinions and habits of their members. If, therefore, 
in comparing Free Masonry with other ancient associations, 
we shall find it coincide with them in every circumstance, 
there would be strong reasons for suspecting that the imagin- 
ation of the writer had counterfeited resemblances when des- 
titute of authentic information or that the Order had adopted 
the rites and ceremonies of antiquity to disprove the recency 
of their origin, to command the veneration and excite the 
notice of the public. 

Against Free Masonry, however, this charge can not be 
preferred. We shall have occasion to consider it when con- 
nected with the idolatry of the heathens, when devoted to the 
Church of Eome and when flourishing under the. milder influ- 
ence of the reformed religion. 

As- men in the early ages of society were destitute of 
those methods of diffusing knowledge which we now enjoy, and 
even of those which were used in Greece and Eome, when the 
art of printing was unknown, the few discoveries in art and 
science which were then made, must have been confined to a 
small number of individuals. In those ages the pursuit of 
science must have been a secondary consideration, and those 
who did venture to explore the untrodden regions of knowl- 
edge, would overlook those unsubstantial speculations which 
gratify the curiosity of philosophic men and would fix their 
attention on those only which terminate in public utility and 
administer to the necessities of life. 

As architecture could only be preceded by argiculture 
itself, it must have been in this science that the first efforts 
of human skill were tried, and in which man must have first 



THE ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 17 

experienced success in extending his dominions over the works 
of nature. They alone required the assistance of art and they 
alone would endeavor to obtain it. The information which 
was required individually would be imparted to others of the 
same profession, and an association would be formed for the 
mutual communication of knowledge and the mutual 
improvement of its members. 

In order to preserve among themselves that information 
which they alone collected, in order to excite among others a 
higher degree of respect for their profession and prevent the 
intrusion of those who were ignorant of architecture and con- 
sequently could not promote the object of the institution, ap- 
propriate words and signs would be communicated to its mem- 
bers and significant ceremonies would be performed at their 
initiation that their engagement to secrecy might be impressed 
upon their minds and greater regard excited for the informa- 
tion they were to receive. 

'Not is this mere speculation; there exist at this day, in 
the deserts of Egypt, such monuments of architecture as must 
have been reared in those early ages, which precede the rec- 
ords of authentic history, and the erection of those stupendous 
fabrics have required an acquaintance with the Mechanical 
Arts, which is not in possession of modern architects. 

It is an undoubted fact, also, that there existed in those 
days a particular association of men, to whom scientific knowl- 
edge was confined and who resembled the society of Free 
Masons in every thing but the name. In Egypt, and those 
countries of Asia which lie contiguous to that favored king- 
dom, the arts and sciences were cultivated with success while 
other nations were involved in ignorance. It is here, there- 



18 THE OPiIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 

fore, that Free Masonry would flourish and here only can we 
discover marks of its existence in the remotest ages. 

It is extremely probable, that the first and the only object 
of the society of Masons was the mutual communication of 
knowledge connected with their profession, and that those only 
would gain admittance into their Order whose labors were sub- 
sidiary to those of the architect, but the ambition or vanity of 
the Egyptian priests prompted them to erect huge and ex- 
pensive fabrics for celebrating the worship of the gods, or 
perpetuating the memory of their kings. They would natur- 
ally desire to participate in the scientific knowledge, which 
was possessed by the architects they employed, and as the 
sacradotal order seldom fail, among a superstitious people, to 
gain the objects of their ambitions, they would, in this case, 
succeed in tbeir attempts and be initiated into the mysteries, 
as well as instructed in the science of Free ^lasonry. 

These remarks will not only assist us in discovering the 
source from which the Egyptian priests derive that knowledge 
for which they have been so highly celebrated, they will aid us 
also in accounting for these changes which were superinduced 
on the forms of Free l\Iasonry and for the admission of men 
into the Order whose profession had no connection with the 
royal art. 



THE ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 19 



CHAPTEE III. 

When the Egyptian priests had in this manner procured 
admission into "the society of Free Masons, they connected the 
mythology of their country and their metaphysical speculations 
concerning the nature of God and the condition of man, with 
an association founded for the exclusive purpose of scientific 
improvement, and produced that combination of science and 
theology, which, in after ages, formed sucii a conspicuous part 
of the principles of Free Masonry. 

The knowledge of the Egyptians was carefully concealed 
from the vulgar, and when the priests did condescend to com- 
municate them to the learned men of other nations, it was 
conferred in sj^mbals and hieroglyphics, accompanied with 
particular rites and ceremonies, marking the value of the gift 
thus bestowed. What these ceremonies were, which were per- 
formed at initiation into the Egyptian mysteries, we are un- 
able at this distance of time, to determine, but as the Eleusin- 
ian and other mysteries had their origin in Egypt, we may be 
able, perhaps, to discover the qualities of the fountain by ex- 
amining the nature of the stream. 

The immense population of Egypt, conjoined with other 
causes, occasioned frequent emigrations from that enlightened 
country. In this manner it became the center of civilization 
and introduced into the most distant and savage climes, the 



20 THE ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 

sublime mysteries of its religion, and those important dis- 
coveries and useful inventions, which originated in the 
ingenuity of its inhabitants. 

The first colony of Egyptians that arrived in Greece, was 
conducted by Inachus about Nineteen Hundred and Seventy 
years before the Christian Era, and, about three centuries af- 
terwards, he was followed by Cecrops, Cadmus and Danans. 
The savage inhabitants of Greece beheld with astonishment 
the magical tricks of the Egyptians, and regarded as gods 
those skillful adventurers, who communicated to them the 
arts and sciences of their native land. In this manner were 
sown those seeds of improvement which in future ages exalted 
Greece to such preeminence among the Nations. 

After the Egyptian colonies had obtained a secure settle- 
ment in tlieir new territories, and were freed from those un- 
easy apprehensions which generally trouble the invaders of a 
foreign land, they instituted, after the manner of their an- 
cesters, particular festivals or mysteries in honor of those 
who had benefitted their country by arts or by arms. 

In the reign of Ericthonius, about Fifteen Hundred years 
before the commencement of our Era, the Eleusinian mys- 
teries were instituted in honor of Ceres, who having com€ 
to Greece in quest of his daughter, resided with Triptolemius 
at Eleusis and instructed him in the knowledge of agriculture 
and in the still more important knowledge of a future State. 

About the same time the Panathanea were instituted in 
honor of Minerva and the Dyonysian Mysteries in honor of 
Bacchus, who invented theatres and instructed the Greeks in 
many useful arts, but particularly in the culture of the vine. 

That Eleusinian and Dionysian Mysteries were intimately 



THE ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 21 

connected with the progress of the arts and science,? is man- 
ifest from the very end for which they were formed and that 
they were modeled upon the mysteries of Isis and Osiris, cele- 
brated in Egypt, is probable from the similarity of their origin, 
as well as from the consent of ancient authors. If there be 
any plausibility in our former reasoning, concerning the ori- 
gin of knowledge in Egypt, it will follow that the Dionysia 
and the mysteries of Eleusis were societies of Free Masons, 
formed for scientific improvement, though tinctured with the 
doctrines of the Egyptian Mythology. 

But it is not from conjecture only this conclusion may 
be drawn. The striking similarity among the external forms 
of those secret associations, and the still more striking simil- 
arity of the objects they had in view, are strong proofs that 
they were only different streams issuing from a common 
fountain. Those who were initiated into the Eleusinian Mys- 
teries were bound by the most awful agreements to conceal 
the instructions they received and the ceremonies that were 
performed. None were admitted as candidates till they ar- 
rived at a certain age; and particular persons were appointed 
to examine and prepare themi for the rites of initiation. 
Those, whose conduct was formed irregularly or who had been 
guilty of atrocious crimes, were rejected as unworthy of ini- 
tiation, while the successful candidates were instructed by 
significant symbols, in the principles of religion, were exhort- 
ed to quell every turbulent appetite and passion and to merit, 
by the improvement of their minds and the purity of their 
hearts, those ineffable benefits which they were still to receive. 
Significant words were communicated to the members; grand 
officers presided over their assemblies; their emblems were 



22 THE ORIGIN" OF FREE MASONRY. 

exactly similar to those of Free Masonry, and tlie candidate 
advanced from one degree to another till he received all the 
lessons of wisdom and of virtue, which the priests could 
impart. 

But besides these circumstances of resemblance, there 
are two facts transmitted to us by ancient authors, which 
have an astonishing similarity to the ceremonies of the Third 
Degree of Free Masonry. So striking is the resemblance that 
every brother of the Order, who is acquainted with them, 
can not question for a moment the opinion which we have been 
attempting to support. 
y/ Having thus mentioned some features of the resemblance 

between the mysteries of Elcusis and those of Free Masonry, 
let us now attend to the sentiments of contemporaries respect- 
ing these secret associations and we will find that they have 
been treated with the same illiberality and insolence. That 
some men, who from selfsufficiency or unsocial dispositions, 
have refused to be admitted into these orders, should detract 
from the character of an association which pretends to en- 
lighten the learned and expand the affections of narrow and 
contracted minds, is by no means a matter of surprise, and 
it is equally consistent with human nature, that those irreg- 
ular in conduct had excluded them from initiation, should 
caluminate an order whose blessings they were not allowed to 
participate in and whose honors they were prohibited to share. 

Men of this description represented the celebration of the 
Eleusinian Mysteries, as scenes of riot and debauchery and 
reproached the members of the association that they were 
not more virtuous and more holy than themselves. But it is 
the opinion of contemporary writers, that these rumors were 



THE ORIGIN" OF FREE MASONRY. 23 

wholly conjectural and originated in the silence of the initiat- 
ed and the ignorance of the vulgar. They even maintain, 
that the mysteries of Eleusis produced sanctity of manners 
and a desire to be distinguished by virtue as by silence. 



24 THE ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 



CHAPTER IV. 

The illustrious Socrates could never be pursuaded upon 
to partake of these mysteries, and Diogenes, having received a 
similar solicitation replied; "That Palaecion. a notorious rob- 
ber, obtained initiation ; and that Epaminondas and Agesilaus 
never desired it." But did not those men know, that there 
often kneel in the same temple, the righteous and the profane, 
and that the Saint and the sinner frequently officiate at the 
same altar? 

Thus the philosophers of antiquity caluminated and 
despised the mysteries of Eleusis, and, in the same manner, 
have some pretended philosophers of our own day defamed 
the character and questioned the motives of Free Masonry. 
With a little less modesty than the ancients, they have not 
like them quarreled at us because we are not more virtuous 
than themselves, they have told us that we are less than the 
least of men, and charged upon us crimes as detestable in the 
eyes of Masons as they are hostile to the interests of men. 

This similarity of treatment, which the Mysteries of 
Ceres and Free Masonry have received, is no small proof of 
the similarity of their origin and their object. To this con- 
clusion, however, it may be objected, that though the points of 
resemblance between these secret societies are num<erous, yet 
there were circumstances in the celebration of the Eleusinian 



THE OraGIN OF FREE MA.SONRY. 25 

Mysteries which have no counterpart in the ceremonies of Free 
Masonry. The sacrifices, purifications, hymns and dances, 
which were necessary in the festival of Ceres, have indeed no 
place in the society of Free Masons, but these points of dis- 
similarity, instead of weakening, rather strengthens our opin- 
ion. It can not be expected, that in the reign of Polytheism, 
just sentiments of the Deity should be entertained, and much 
less, that the adherents of Christianity should bend their knees 
to the gods of the heathen. 

The Ancients worshiped those beings w^ho conferred on 
them the most signal benefits, with sacrifices, purifications and 
other tokens of their humility and gratitude, but when revela- 
tion had disclosed to man more amiable sentiments concern- 
ing the Divine Being, the society of Free Masons banished 
from their mysteries those useless rites, with which the An- 
cient Brethren of the Order attempted to appease and re- 
quite their deities and modeled their ceremonies upon this 
foundation — that there is but one God, who must be wor- 
shiped in spirit and in truth. 

The mysteries of Ceres were not confined to the City of 
Eleusis; they were introduced into Athens about Thirteen 
Hundred and Fifty-six years before Christ, and, with a few 
slight variations, were observed in Phrygia, Cyprus, Crete and 
Sicily. They had reached even to the Capital of France, and 
it is highly probable that in a short time after they were in- 
troduced into Brittan and other N'orthern Kingdoms. In the 
reign of the Emperor Adrian, they were carried into Eome 
and were celebrated into their metropolis with the same rites 
and ceremonies which were performed in the humble village 
of Eleusis. They had contracted impurities, however, from 



26 THE ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 

the length of their duration and the corruption of their abet- 
torSj and though the forms of initiation were still S3^mbolical 
of the original and noble objects of the institution, yet the 
licentious Eomans mistook the shadow for the substance, and 
while they underwent the rites of the Eleusinian Mysteries, 
they were strangers to the object for which they were formed. 

About the beginnincr of th-^ Fifth Century, Theodosius the 
Great, prohibited and almost totally extinguished the Pagan 
Theology in the Eoman Empire, and the Mysteries of Eleusis 
suffered in the general devastation. It is probable, however, 
that these mysteries were secretly celebrated in spite of the 
severe edicts of Theodosius, and they were partly continued 
during the Dark Ages, though stripped of their original purity 
and splendor. We are certain at least, that many rites of the 
Pagan religion were performed under the dissembled name 
of convivial meetings, long after the publication of the Em- 
peror's Edicts, and Psillus informs us, that the Mysteries of 
Ceres subsisted in Athens till the Eight Century of the 
Christian era, and were never totally suppressed. 

Having thus considered the origin and decline of the 
Mysteries of Eleusis and discovered in them numerous and 
prominent features of resemblance to those of Free Masonry, 
we may reasonably infer that the Egyptian Mysteries, which 
gave rise to the former, had a still nearer affinity to the lat- 
ter, and from this conclusion the opinions that were formerly 
stated concerning the antiquity of the Order and the Origin 
of Egyptian knowledge, will receive very considerable con- 
firmation." 

I have quoted this from the 15th Vol. of the Constitution 
of Free Masonry, down to the 14th page of the Second Book, 



THE ORIGIK OF FREE MASONRY. 27 

for many reasons. First. The Work is one of the oldest 
works now extant on Yvee. Masonry. Second. It is well written. 
Third. It treats of Free Masonry as it existed at that time, 
but like all other writers on this subject, he does not claim to 
know the time when and where Free JMasonry originated, nor 
does he claim to know its author. That it originated away back 
in the mystic past, all writers agree on this subject. We find 
a great many evidences, at different places and times, that go 
to show that the parties and organizations belong to the 
Order of Free Masonry. In the exact form, none has been 
able to tell or find out. One thing about as certain as any- 
thing is, that the historians of all the Ages and countries have 
attempted to explore, is that secret societies have existed since 
men began to mix and mingle together in one form or another, 
which bound them together with irrevocable ties, and that 
they adopted strict rules and regulations for their own pro- 
tection. 

There is a legend which I here produce from the same 
book, which if true, connects all the leading characters in the 
Bible with Free Masonry. It is found on page 75, First 
Book, 15th Volume of the "Constitution of Free Masonry," 
and is called "The Master's Song," and we think it is worth 
repeating here. 



"28 THE OKIGIX OF FREE MASONRY. 



CHAPTEK V. 

"Adam, the first of human kind, 

Created with Geometry, 
Imprinted on his Royal Mind, 

Instructed soon his Progeny, 
Cain and Seth, who then improved 

The liberal science in the Art 
Of Architecture, which they loved, 

And to their offspring- did impart." 

II. 

Cain a city fair and strong 

First built, and call'd it Consecrate, 
From Enoch's Name, his eldest Son, 

Which all his race did imitate; 
But Godly Enoch, of Seth's Loins, 

Two columns raised with might and skill; 
And all his Family enjoins 

True Colonading to fulfill. 



Jli. 



Our Father Noah next appeared, 

A Mason too, divinely taught; 
And by divine command upreared 

The Ark, that held a goodly Fraught; 
'Twas built by true Geometry, 

A Piece of Architecture fine; 
Helpt by his Sons, in number Three, 

Concurring in the grand Design. 



THE ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 2i> 



IV. 



So from the gen'ral Deluge none 

Were saved, but Masons and their Wives; 
And all Mankind from them alone 

Descending, Architecture thrives; 
For they, when multiplied again, 

Fit to disperse and fill the Earth, 
In Shinar's large and lovely Plain 

To Masonry gave second Birth. 



For most of Mankind were employ'd 

To build the City and the Tow'r; 
The General Lodge was overjoyed, 

In such Effects of Masons' Pow'r; 
'Til vain Ambition did provoke 

Their Maker to confound their Plot; 
Yet tho' with Tongues confused they spoke,. 

The learned Art they ne'er forgot. 

CHORUS. 

"W^ho can unfold the Itoyal Art? 

Or sing its Secrets in a Song? 
They're safely kept in Mason's heart, 

And to the ancient Lodge belong. 

Stop here to drink the present Grand Master's health. 



-30 THE ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 

PART II. 
I. 

Thus when from Babel they disperse 

In Colonies to distant Climes, 
All Masons true, who could rehearse 

Their Works to those of after Times; 
King Nimrod fortify'd his Realm, 

By Castles, Tow'rs, and Cities fair; 
Mitza'm, who ruled at Egypt's Helm, 

Built Pyramids stupendous there. 

II. 

Nor Japhet, and his gallant Breed, 

Did less in Masonry prevail; 
Nor Shem, and those that did succeed 

To promised blessings by Entail; 
For Father Abram bright from Ur 

Geometry, the Science good; 
Which he revealed without demur, 

To all descending from his Blood. 

III. 

Nay Jacob's Race at length were taught. 

To lay aside the Shepherd's Crook, 
To use Geometry were brought. 

Whilst under Pharaoh's cruel Yoke; 
'Til Moses Master Mason, rose. 

And led the Holy Lodg^ from thence. 
All Masons train'd, to whom he chose, 

His curious Learning to dispense. 

IV. 

Aholiab and Bezaleel, 

Inspired Men, the Tent uprear'd; 
Where the Schechinah chose to dwell, 

And Geometric Skill appear'd; 
And when these valiant Masons fill'd 

Canaan, the learn'd Phenicians knew 
The Tribes of Israel better skill'd 

In Architecture firm and true. 



THE OEIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 31 



V. 



For Dagon's house in Gaza Town, 

Artfully propt by columns two; 
By Sampson's mighty Arms pulled down 

On Lords" Philistian, whom it slew; 
Tho' 'twas the finest Fabric rais'd 

By Canaan's Sons, could not compare 
"With the Creator's Temple praised, 

For glorious Strenght and Structure fair. 



VI. 



But here we stop a while to toast 

Our Master's health and Wardens both; 
And warn you all to shun the Coast 

Of Sampson's Shipwreckt Fame and Troth; 
His secrets once to Wife disclos'd, 

His strength was fled, his courage tam'd, 
To cruel Foes he was expos'd, 

And never was a Mason nam'd. 

CHORUS. 

Who can unfold the Royal Art? 

Or sing its Secrets in a Song 
They're safely kept in Mason's Heart, 

And to the Ancient Lodge belong. 



(Stop here to drink the Health of the Master and Wardens of 
this particular Lodge.) 



32 THE ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 

PART III. 

I. 

We sing of Masons' of ancient Fame, 

When fourscore thousand ("draftsmen stood. 
Under the Masters of great Name, 

Three Thousand and six Hundred good, 
Employ'd by Solomon the Sire, 

And General Master-Mason too; 
As Hiram was in stately Tyre, 

Like Salem built by Masons true. 

II. 

The Royal Art was then divine, 

The Craftsmen counsell'd from above. 
The Temple did all Works outshine, 

The wond'ring World did all approve. 
Ingenious men from every Place, 

Came to survey the glorious Pile: 
And, when return'd, began to trace, 

And imitate its Lofty Style. 

III. 
At length the Grecians came to know 

Geometry, and learnt the Art, 
Which great Pythagoras did show. 

And glorious Euclid did impart; 
Th' amazing Archimedes too. 

And many other Scholars good; 
'Til ancient Romans did review 

The Art, and Science understood. 

IV. 

But when proud Asia they had quell'd, 

And Greece and Egypt overcome. 
In Architecture they excell'd, 

And brought the Learning all to Rome; 
Where wise Vitruvious, Master prime 

Of Architects, the Art improv'd, 
In great Augustus' peaceful Time, 

When Art and Artists were belov'd. 



THE ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. .33 



V. 

They brought the Knowledge from the East; 

And as they made the Nations yield, 
They spread it thro' the North and West. 

And taught the World the Art to build; 
Witness their Citadels and Tow'rs, 

To fortify their Legions fine, 
Their Temples, Palaces, and Bow'rs, 

That spoke the Mason's Grand Design. 

VI. 

Thus mighty Eastern Kings, and some 

Of Abram's race, and Monarchs good, 
Of Egypt, Syria, Greece, and Rome, 

True Architecture understood; 
No wonder then if Masons join, 

To celebrate those Mason-Kings, 
With solemn Note and flowing Wine,. 

Whilst every Brother jointly sings. 



CHORUS. 

Who can unfold the Royal Art? 

Or sing its Secrets in a Song 
They're safely kept in Mason's Heart, 

And to the Ancient Lodge belong. 



(Stop here to drink the glorious Memory of Emperors, Kings, 
Princes, Nobles, Gentry, Clergy, and learned Scholars, that ever- 
propagated the Art.) 



34 THE ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 

PART IV. 

I. 

Oh! glorious days for Masons wise. 
O'er all the Roman Empire when 

Their Fame, resounding to the Skies, 
Proclaim'd them good and useful Men; 

Until the Goths, with warlike Rage, 
And brutal Ignorance, destroy'd 

The Toil of many a learned Age. 

II. 

But when the conqu'ring Goths were brought 

T' embrace the Christian Faith, they found 
The Folly that their Fathers wrought, 

In loss of Architecture sound. 
At length their zeal for stately Fanes, 

And wealthy Grandeur, when at Peace, 
Made them exert their utmost Pains, 

Their Gothic Buildings to upraise. 

III. 
'Thus many a sumptuous lofty Pile 

Wias raised in every Christian Land, 
Tho' not conform to Roman Style, 

Yet which did Reverence command; 
The King and Craft agreeing still. 

In well-formed Lodges to supply , 

The mournful want of Roman Skill 

With their new sort of Masonry. 

IV. 

For many Ages this prevails. 

Their Work is Architecture deem'd; 
In England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, 

The Craftsmen highly are esteem'd. 
By Kings, as Masters of the Lodge, 

By many a wealthy noble Peer, 
By Lord and Laird, by Priest and Judge, 

By all the People everywhere. 



THE ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 35 



So Masons' ancient Records tell, 

King Athelstane, of Saxon Blood, 
Gave them a Charter free to dwell 

In Lofty Lodge, with Orders good, 
Drawn from old Writings by his Son, 

Prince Edwin, General-Master bright, 
Who met at York the Brethren soon, 

And to that Lodge did all recite. 

VI. 

Thence were their laws and charges fine 

In ev'ry Reign observed with Care, 
Of Saxon, Danish, Norman Line, 

Till British Crowns united were; 
The Monarch First of this whole Isle 

Was learned James, a Mason King, 
Who First of Kings reviv'd the Style 

Of Great Augustus: Therefore sing. 

CHORUS. 

Who can unfold the Royal Art? 

Or sing its Secrets in a Song 
They're safely kept in Mason's Heart, 

And to the Ancient Lodge belong. 

(Stop here to drink the happy memory of all the Revivers 
of the ancient Augustan Style.) 



36 THE ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 



V. 



Then let good Brethren all rejoice, 

And fill their Glass with cheerful Heart; 
Let them express with grateful Voice 

The Praises of the Wbndrous Art: 
Let ev'ry Brother's Health go round, 

Not Fool or Knave, but Mason true; 
And let our Master's Fame resound, 

The noble Duke of Montagu. 

CHORUS. 

Who can unfold the Royal Art? 

Or sing its Secrets in a Song 
They're safely kept in Mason's Heart, 

And to the Ancient Lodge belong. 



THE ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 37 

PART V. 

I. 

Thus tho' in Italy the Art 

From Gothic Rubbish first was rais'd; 
The great Palladio did impart 

A 'Style by Masons justly praised; 
Yet here his mighty Rival, Jones, 

Of British Architects the Prime, 
Did build such glorious Heaps of Stones, 

As ne'er were match'd since Caesar's Time. 

XL 

King Charles the First, a Mason, too, 

With several Peers and wealthy Men, 
Employ'd him and his Craftsmen true, 

'Til wretched Civil Wars began. 
But after Peace and Crown restor'd, 

Tho' London was in Ashes laid, 
By Masons' Art and good Accord, 

A finer London reared its Head. 

III. 

King Charles the Second raised then ^ 

The finest Column upon Earth, 
Founded St Paul's, that stately Fane, 

And Royal Change, with Joy and Mirth. 
But afterwards the Lodges fail'd. 

Till Great Nassau the Task reviv'd, 
Whose bright example so prevail'd 

That ever since the Art has thriv'd. 

IV. 

Let other Nations boast at will. 

Great Britain now will yield to none. 
For true Geometry and Skill, 

In building Timber, Brick and Stone; 
For Architecture of each sort. 

For curious Lodges, where we find 
The Noble and the Wise resort, 

And drink with Craftsmen, true and kind. 



38 THE ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 



CHAPTER VI. 

The foregoing Legend I give for the purpose of showing 
what was thought of Masonrj^ in the year 1723, and for the 
years previous and for a number of years afterwards great 
research was made by learned men wherever Free Masonry 
then existed. It seemed to be an age when greater efforts were 
made to ascertain, if possible, when and where Free Masonry 
was first instituted among the children of men and we desire 
to give the reader all the information we can find and obtain 
from all the ancient and modern writers, and find out from 
diligent research, as nearly as can be obtained, the time when 
Free Masonry was founded. 

The explorer and more modern writer, Dr. Morris of 
Kentucky, on page 472, he says, there are Legends of the Great 
Antiquity of Free Masonry among the people, but he does not 
seem to place much confidence in their stories, yet from the 
many signs and symbols of antiquity, we have the confidence 
to assert that Free Masonry dates away back in the early ages 
of the world. Dr. Morris writes more about places of renown 
in history than he does about the time and country where 
Free Masonry originated. 

J. T. Desaguliers, Dept. Grand Master in Vol. 15, of 
"The Constitution of Free Masonry,^' on page 3, asserts, that 
Noah and his three sons brought Free Masonry with them 



THE OEIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 39^ 

into the Ark and established it after they landed when the- 
flood subsided. And he admits that others had much to do 
with establishing the Order. He states that both Seth and 
Cain erected many cnrions works, but if you rely on him and 
his writings from a legend, which we partly quote, Free 
Masonry started with Adam. We ean not agree with him 
for the reason that in all our effort and search in history, 
both ancient and modern, there is nothing to found this belief 
on, save the legend referred to, which the writer does not un- 
dertake to corroborate. Again how could Adam have originated 
and established Free Masonry in any form ? He was not edu- 
cated. He and Eve were the only two persons living and there 
was no occasion or use for the Order at that date. Mackey and 
Morris, and in fact, not one of the numerous writers inake 
any such claim save J. T. Desaguliers, and he only in his le- 
gend. I think we may safely say, Free Masonry did not 
originate in Adam's day. If it did, he was so old that he 
did not take any part in it. Who did originate Free Masonry 
in its crude yet primitive form, is still the question. 

We, after all the research that we have been able to make,, 
agree with Dr. M. F. Casey and say away back in ancient 
days there lived a man noble in character. He walked with 
God, he communicated with him in all his dealings. Just when 
and where he procured his education, and how he did it, his- 
tory, both sacred and profane, fails to tell us, nor are we in- 
formed just what his occupation was. That he was educated 
there can be no doubt; he understood Astronomy, the move- 
ment and working of the Sun, Moon and Stars. He was a 
character unique in his day, for he walked with God and was 



40 THE ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 

not, for God took him and he was known no more among the 
children of men. 

Enoch, indeed, was ahnost, so far as history tells us, the 
only man that lived in his day that understood the move- 
ments of the planets and heavenly bodies. He was born, aS 
we learn from sacred history, 622 years after the creation of 
the world, his earthly pilgrimage closed in the 365 year of his 
life. By his translation to Heaven, the Bible tells us; of his 
earthly life, we know very little. The book of Enoch was 
excluded from the Bible in the translation of King James and 
was supposed to be forever lost, but not so: Thanks be to 
God, who through the instrument that he always operates 
through the book w^as found. James Bruce, the well known 
Abyssinian traveler, brought home with him the long sought 
for Book of Enoch. It holds a place in the canon of the Aby- 
ssinian or Ethiopic Scriptures and is arranged immediately 
before the Book of Job. 

Bruce brought three copies of it. He presented one of 
these to the Eoyal Library at Paris, another to the Bodleian 
Library at Oxford, whilst he reserved a third for his own use. 
Having given this short historical sketch of the Book, we now 
proceed to give a very brief outline of a portion of its contents. 

He begins with apostate angels, and after exhibiting their 
fall and punishment, he proceeds to explain the secrets of the 
Universe as to the phenomenon of winds, storms, heat, cold, 
thunder, lightening, the motion of the earth. The astronomical 
system of the author is next introduced, and dwelt upon 
through eleven chapters. Then comes a chapter respecting 
and dwelling on the flood, and some prophetic anticipations of 
Enoch then addresses his descendants and exhorts them to 



THE OEIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 41 

turn to the worship of the true God, which shows his true 
greatness and that he was a man of God and that his chief aim 
in life was to follow his creator and try and have his ac- 
qnaintances and relatives do the same. It was his chief aim 
in life to be a man of God. 

The author proceeds, "All nature obeys without trans- 
gressing the ordinances of its maker. The stars, the clouds, 
the seasons, the trees, rivers, and seas, all obey their appro- 
priate laws. Only the wicked disobey etc. The work is di- 
vided into One Hundred and Five chapters, full of curious 
matter. Chapters 51 to 71, inclusive, are filled with the au- 
thor's system of Astronomy or Astrology. Only those per- 
sons who are conversant with ancient oriental astronomy can 
understand fully this part of the book, which is entitled, "The 
Book of the Eevelations of Luminians of Heaven." To the 
general reader this is a sealed book, except a few facts that 
are common or obvious. 

The date of this book is in dispute. Different authors 
assign different dates, varying from the prophet Daniel 600 
years B. C. to the latter part of the first century of the 
Christian Era. All historians ascribe to him the invention of 
writing books and the study of Astronomy. A Jewish writ- 
er says he discovered the zodiac and the course of the planets, 
but the great masonic tradition connected with Enoch is. 
Enoch being inspired by the Most High, and in commemor- 
ation of a wonderful vision, built a temple under ground and 
dedicated it to God. His son, Methuselah, framed and con- 
structed the building. History fails to inform us that he 
knew his father's intentions. This building consisted of nine 
brick vaults, perpendicularly beneath each other and commu- 



42 , THE ORIGIN" OF FREE MASONRY. 

nivating by apertures left in the arch of each vault. Enoch 
then caused a triangular plate of gold to be made, each side 
of which was a cubit long; he enriched it with most precious 
stones and encrusted the plate upon a stone of Agate of the 
same form. On the plate he engraved in ineffable charac-. 
ters, the true name of Diety, and placing it apon a cubical 
pedestal of white marble, he deposited the whole within the 
deepest arch. 

When this underground building was finished, he made a 
door of stone and attaching it to a ring of iron, by which it 
might be raised, he placed it over the opening of the upper- 
most arch, and so covered it over that the aperture could not 
be discovered. Enoch, himself, was not permitted to enter 
it but once a year, and on the translation of Enoch, and the 
death of Methuselah and Lamech, and the destruction of the 
world by the deluge, all knowledge of this temple and the 
sacred treasure which it contained, was lost until, in after 
times, it was by accident found by another worthy of Free 
Masonry, who, like Enoch, was engaged in erecting a temple 
on the same place. 

Who was it that was building the temple on the -amo 
spot? In searching sacred history we have arrived at a con- 
clusion; it was none other than Solomon. See, I Kings, 
Chapter 5, verse 6 and following who erected that magnificent 
building, "Solomon's Temple,'' the grandest building ever 
erected before the Christian Era and the grandest temple ever 
built in ancient or modern times. 

After Enoch had completed the subterranean temple, 
fearing that the principles of those arts and sciences, which 
he had cultivated with so much assiduity, would be lost in 



THE ORIGIN" OF FREE MASONRY. 43- 

the general destruction of the world of which he had prophesi- 
ed, he erected two pillars, one of marble to withstand the in- 
fluence of fire, and the other of brass to resist the action of 
water. On the pillar of brass he engraved the history of the 
creation, the principles of the Arts and Sciences and the 
Doctrine of Speculative Masonry, as they were practiced in 
his days, and on the one of marble he inscribed characters in 
hieroglyphics, importing that near the spot where they stood 
a precious treasure was deposited in a vault underground. 

Josephus, in his first book of his antiquities, gives an 
account of these pillars similar to the above. 



44 THE ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 



CHAPTEE VII. 

When Enoch had completed his work, we suppose he call- 
ed his children and friends aronnd him, he warned them 
of their idolatries and sins and having exhorted them to re- 
turn to their God, and looking over a well spent life in the 
worship of the true God, he was taken to heaven. See Book 
of Enoch and the Apostle Jude Epistle, verses 14 and 15, he 
says: "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied 
of these, saying; "Behold the Lord cometh with his thous- 
ands of his saints to execute judgment upon all, to convince all 
that are ungodly among them of their ungodly deeds which 
they have committed, and of all their hard speeches whiA un- 
godly sinners have spoken against him. (See the Bonk of 
Enoch, Chapter 11.) He uses this language; "Behoid, he 
comes with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment 
upon and destroy the wicked and reprove all the carnal, fc-r 
everything the sinful and ungodly have done and committed 
against him." 

Eobert Morris, in his Dictionary on Masonry, page 159, 
says the name of this Patriarch was introduced into Scottish 
Eite Masonry in the ninth or Eoyal Degree, and assents that 
he constructed or built two pillars, one of brass, the other 
of marble, and that they were concealed in a subterranean 
valut near Mount Moriah, and was hid until King Solomon 



THE ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 45 

erected his great temple on the same spot when they found that 
the inefaceable word was cut on one of those pillars which 
leaves very little if any doubt that Enoch was one of the purest 
and best men that ever lived; a man of God who served him 
and tried in every way possible to get others to do the same; 
who warned men and women of their sins, and in his 
fervency and zeal tried to get them to abandon their idolatries 
and serve the true and living God^ is the man that originated 
Masonry. 

Oh, that we had the language of the silver-tongued orator 
or writer that we might impress on the Fraternity throughout 
the whole world the true goodness and noble character of the 
Founder and Originator of Ancient Craft Free Masonry. Oh, 
that we could persuade all the members of the craft, from 
entered apprentice to Night Templar to follow the example of 
the great and good man, Enoch, who was by his creator trans- 
lated to Heaven. Thus we conclude the first subject of this 
book. 

Oh, I love to think of Enoch, though he lived away back so far, 
Where he formed those two pillars near old Mount Moriah. 
Where he loved and served our God, 
Where he practiced and instructed his children in the way he had 

trod. 
Where he originated Free Masonry in that land so bright and fair,. 
Near the hill and dales and valleys of dear old Mount Moriah. 
It was there he studied the action of the sun, moon and stars, 
Among the pine-clad hills of old Mount Moriah. 
He then buried those pillars secure in a vault, 
Until Solomon did by chance them unearth. 
Thus the inefaceable Word was preserved, being buried in the 

earth. 
Until King Solomon recovered it and gave it a new birth. 
How he enlarged on the information he so fortunately had found,. 



46 THE ORIGIN OF FREE MASONRY. 

When he built his great Temple on the same spot of ground. 
Farewell, Ancient Enoch, of God's children, best beloved, 
Him, let us as worthy Masons, meet with him and God above. 
Ere the fiery chariot bore him to his home so fair and bright, 
He had viewed the wondrous beauty of the Heavenly Hosts by 

night. 
He, who stood on Mount Moriah, gazing steadfast toward the 

skies, 
Saw with more than human wonder, saw, then stood in mute sur- 
prise; 
Ancient type of all the faithful, who, this old earth ever trod, 
Was not slain by the Death Angel, but was taken to his God. 



The Spread of Free Masonry, 



CHAPTER VIII. 

Having introduced the evidence and submitted our au- 
thorities, that Enoch was the man that originated Ancient 
Oraft Free Masonry, we now shall attempt to show how it 
spread over the earth. 

We believe that Noah and his three sons were skilled in 
the science of Free Masonry, and many writers on this sub- 
ject think so, but to what extent Free Masonry had spread 
before the Flood we shall not attempt to say, nor do we claim 
that it existed in the same identical language that it exists in 
to-day. 

From the researches we have made we are inclined to 
think that it did not, but the principles taught in the three 
first degrees were, in our judgment, the same, or so nearly so 
that what the Craft has to-day is the same in a modified and 
enlarged form. 

As we said before, N"oah had the secrets of Free Masonry 
and preserved them. We do not take this position ])ecause we 
are forced to do so but from the fact of searching history and 
the Bible. True, the Bible furnishes very little information 
as to what Noah accomplished after the flood. Casey says 
on page 84, "Noah remained on the Ark one year, or 365 days 
after the flood. He entered in the year of the World 1656. 



48 THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 

The first Masonic myth referring to ^oah, the writer tells- 
us, that while he was engaged in exhorting (The historian 
calling him a Preacher of Eighteousness,) calling his contem- 
poraries to repentance, the historians had him searching for 
the pillars which Enoch had buried on Mount Moriah. 

By diligent search at length he found the entrance to the 
vault. On pushing his inquiries he discovered the stone foun- 
dation and took it away leaving everything else where he found 
it, and placed the stone foundation as a convenient altar. This 
writer says, "Another myth preserved on Masonry informs us 
that the Ark was built of Cedars which grew on Mount Le- 
banon, and that Noah employed the Sidomans to cut down the 
trees under the superintendence of his eldest son, Japheth. 

We cannot agree with the writer on this proposition. In 
the sixth chapter of Genesis you will find that the Lord direct- 
ed Noah to build an ark of Gopher wood, and we much prefer 
to believe the bible to any myth ; but this in no wise disproves 
the fact that Noah had knowledge of the secrets of Free 
Masonry. 

The fifteenth volume of the Constitution of Free Ma- 
sonry published in 1723 on page 75, says "Our Father Noah 
next appeared a Mason too, divinely taught, and by divine 
command upreared the Ark that held a goodly frought. 

T'was built by true geometry, a piece of Architecture fine. 

Helped by his sons, in num'ber, three, concurring in the 
Grand Design." 

Thus it is plain to be seen by the reader that the writer 
of the thirty volumes after long and tedious research, an- 
nounced that Noah was a Free Mason. It is also true that 
Noah, after the flood builded a temple, and in that temple 



THE SPKEAD OF FREE MASONRY. 49.^ 

he and his three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, they entered 
into the temple which their father had constructed and there 
conversed on the secrets of the order and the goodness of God 
in preserving their lives. 

No doubt they often meditated on the past, how G-od had! 
destroyed the world because the people were wicked and be- 
cause they worshiped false gods and neglected to pay homage 
to the true and living God. 

After the world began to be peopled again, there arose 
a sect of people that called themselves "Noahchites^^ or "Ark- 
ites." They worshiped Noah and called him the Eternal- 
One. The dove was reverenced by these people and was called 
a Sacred Bird in commemoration of its use during the flood, 
being the first to discover land. In the Hebrew language its 
name is Jonah. This name was given to one of the earliest 
nations on the earth. It became the bird of Venus. It was 
considered an emblem of peace and good fortune or good will,, 
and we are inclined to believe that through all the ages every 
where, in every land beneath the sun, the Dove is to some ex- 
tent reverenced by some of the people, and in many countries 
it is actually worshiped and reverenced still, as it was in the 
days just after the flood. 

The circumstances of the number of the years of Enoch's 
life on earth and the number of the days Noah remained in 
the ark, were considered mystic possibilities. So much so 
that the ancients paid idolatrous worship to the Patriarchs 
who were saved from the flood. 

They also became worshipers of the Sun, for as Noah 
was the restorer of the human race he appeared to be, with 
some, a type of the regulating power of the sun. 



50 THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 

All nations have a tradition of the deluge kept and pre- 
served in their histories and records. 

Naturally we might expect that it made a profound im- 
pression on the acts and religious thoughts of those people, 
and they could be handed down to the generations that lived 
after him and his family. But God made a covenant with 
Noah that he would not destroy the world any more, by setting 
the rainbow in the sky as a witness that he would not again 
destroy the world, and promised there should be seed time and 
harvest, winter and summer, and tliat promise has been kept 
and is still a sign to this day. 

We learn that the Ark became a temple where Xoah and 
his family worshiped God according to the dictates of their 
own conscience, for surely there was none to molest or make 
them afraid, when he and his family held their secret meet- 
ings and practiced the principles contained in Free Masonry. 

As the people began to multiply Noah became a God 
under various designations and was worshiped accordingly, 
and some countries still worship him and follow, to a great 
■extent, the customs and usages of his day. 

The primitive teachings of Noah must have been both 
rsimple and comprehensive. 

They were continued for a long time. The very best in- 
formation that we can obtain goes to establish this fact, and 
there are countries where they yet continue the same customs 
and habits that Noah and his three sons had when they came 
out of the Ark, and which they took with them into the Ark 
which brings the customs and habits that the people had before 
the flood and re-establishes them, to a great extent after the 



THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 51 

flood, with one exception, and that was the wickedness and 
the worshiping of false gods. 

Noah did not have much trouble, evidently in convincing 
his three sons, Shem, Ham and Jepheth and their families 
that the true and living God the Creator of Heaven and earth 
had instructed and imparted wisdom to their father, — how 
he should build the Ark and that by obeying the God of 
Heaven and earth, their lives had been saved after the longest 
voyage on the deepest water, that ever had le^n made by man 
or ever will be made, for history divine tells us that we are 
never to have such deep water again and there were no life- 
boats attached or connected to the Ark; Noah did not need 
any; God himself was in command, the greatest commander 
any boat or Ark ever had or ever will have. No wonder those 
three sons and their families were thankful, and Noah and his 
wife also, they ought to have been, and it is but reasonable to 
think and believe that they built a temple and dedicated it to 
God and that they were very devout and constant in worship- 
ing the God that so miraculously preserved their lives and the 
lives of their families. 

But we are, the reader may think assuming, that Noah 
was a Mason. Mackey says, "Dr. Oliver assumes that Noah 
was a Mason with child-like faith, or chat he accepts the Myths 
in that way, and then goes on and gives a long account of 
what various ancient historians say of Noah, which if true 
would undoubtedly prove that he was a Mason.'' (Encyclope- 
dia of Free Masonry by Mackey, page 532.) 

Bob Morris, in his Dictionary on Free Masonry, Page 
332 says that Noahachite — ^which means Noah — ^after giving 



52 THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 

an account of what ceremonies they practiced,, concludes that 
Noah was a Mason/^ 

McCoy, in his Dictionary or Encyclopedia of Free 
Masonry on page 469, says that he somewhat doubts Noah 
being a Mason, and then proceeds to tell and describe what 
Noah and his followers did and what they practiced and when 
you read what he says, and the account he gives as to how 
historians consider him, we are forced to the conclusion that 
Noah was a Free Mason. 

He did not have and practice the same identical ceremon- 
ies that we have now but the fundamental principles were the 
same. 

Thus, by all we can find by strict search, we conclude that 
Noah was a Mason ; for he fully believed in the Father-hood of 
God and the Brother-hood of man, and practiced and taught 
it to his children and their children. 

He was a preacher of the principles contained in the 
Bible; he is called a righteous man; a man that loved and 
feared God. He did not want to do anything to displease 
him, and surely he had great reason to love and fear him. He 
had seen God's wrath fully poured out on the wicked people of 
the world; he had seen them destroyed off the face of the 
earth; he had heard their cries. He knew of their desperate 
struggles with, the angry billows of the raging, foaming, mud- 
dy waters as they piled up for forty days and forty nights. 
Surely he could and should have said like the psalmist, David 
of old; 116 Psalm, verses 1 and 2. "I love the God because 
he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he 
hath inclined his ear unto me therefore will I call upon 
him as long as I live ;" and, again, no doubt he used the lang- 



THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 53 

uage of David in the 117th Psalm which reads, "0, Praise the 
Lord, all ye nations ; Praise him, all ye people for his merci- 
ful kindness is great toward us; and the truth of the Lord 
endureth forever, praise ye the Lord. 

At least he could and no doubt did repeat this over and 
over to his children and to those born after the flood during 
his day and stay on the earth, and he no doubt strongly im- 
pressed on the minds of his children and their children until 
he was gathered to his fathers. 

There is no evidence furnished us that Noah ever re- 
moved from the neighborhood where the ark rested. He lived 
three hundred and fifty years after the flood, and original tra- 
dition tells us that he was buried in Mesopotamia. 

His life, as we have before stated, was spent in instruct- 
ing his descendents in the great truths of religion; hence 
Free Masons are sometimes named after him as he was the 
repository of the sublime and pure truths concerning God ; so 
they are, and have been through the ages the repositories and 
preservers of the sacred truths of Masonry, bequeathed to 
them from their great ancestors. 



54 THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 



CHAPTER IX. 

In the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite Masonry, call- 
ed Patriarch and Noahchites there are certain circumstances 
recorded connected with the transactions of the descendants of 
the Great Patriarch. 

We now leave the great and righteous preacher by saying 
those truths continued to be preserved in the line of the pa- 
triarchs and prophets to the days of Solomon. They were, 
however, early confuted and lost sight of by the other descend- 
ents of the patriarch. They substituted for the worship of 
one true God, the worship of heathen idols. There too, arose 
the Arkites Rites, or the worship of Noah and the Ark, and 
Sabianism or the worship of the stars and many other super- 
stitions. 

The priesthood, however, preserved some of the leading 
truths in some degree and thereby formed a kind of Masonry 
that preserved the secrets of the mystic order. 

We now come to a period in the world's history when for 
a long period of time neither profane or sacred history throws 
very little light on the Order of Free Masonry. In other 
words it might be considered the "Dark Ages" in ancient 
times. On examination of the Book of the Law, God's word, 
and profane history, very little is said on the subject, and if 
Free Masonry spread or increased, we are unable to find it, al- 



THE SPEEAD OF FREE MASONRY. 00 

though we have searched diligently. That the people wor- 
shiped false gods of all kinds there can be little doubt but 
the people continued to worship Noah, and the order known 
as the Arkites still continued. They held their secret meet- 
ings and there was an order and sect of pepole calling them- 
slaves the Noahchites that met and held their secret meetings, 
and each of the orders increased and each practiced some of 
the principles that Enoch had originated and communicated 
to Noah which were by him preserved and were communicated 
to his children. As to the exact point of difference in those 
two orders history fails to inform us. The sect that wor- 
shiped the stars differed in their worship and in their secrett 
from the Arkites and the Noahchites. 

The difference between these three sects of worshipers 
and people are not well preserved in history. 

The Bible tells us that Enoch lived eight hundred years 
after the creation of the world and that Noah lived sixteen 
hundred and fifty six years after the creation of the world- 
and that after the flood there were born to Shem, Ham and 
Japheth children too numerous to mention. I refer the reader 
to the 10th and 11th chapter of Genesis for their names. 

These descendents of Noah builded the cities of Ninevah 
and Sodom and G-omorrah, those large and wicked cities 
were afterwards destroyed by God's command on account of 
the wickedness of the people that inhabited them. 

Ninevah was the first large city that was built by the 
ancient people and was built by Asshem, also Rehoboth and 
Calah. Some of the ancient historians claim that these cities 
were built by Nimrod the mighty hunter, but the Bible says 
that Asshem was the builder of these cities, also the city of 



56 THE SPREAD OF FREE MASOI^RY. 

Eisen between Beleoun, Ninevah and Calah, which he has 
■called a mighty city. (See the 10th chapter of Genesis com- 
mencing with the sixteenth verse. ) We have the Jubesite, the 
Amorite, the Gngesite, the Hersite, the Arkite, the Senite, the 
Arvadite, the Zemasite and the Hamathite. After this the 
Canaanites were spread abroad. 

Just where all these different people came from the Bible 
will tell yon. It would take too much space here to go into a 
full description of the genealogy and would not throw any 
light on the subject we have in hand. 

Ninevah had many temples in it and the Arkites had a 
temple that they worshiped in and practiced and preserved 
the secrets that had been handed down to them through the 
line from Noah. Diodosius Seculus says that Ninevah was 
surrounded and defended by one thousand and five hundred 
towers two hundred feet high. Strabo asserts that Ninevah 
was larger than Babylon. Other historians say that he was 
mistaken, and from a careful examination of history and the 
Bible we think he was mistaken. 

The better authorities are certainly against Strabo's posi- 
tion and we think a careful examination of the Bible will con- 
vince the reader that Strabo is mistaken. 

Ninevah was not destroyed after the inhabitants had been 
warned by the preacher Junah who was sent by God for that 
purpose about six hundred and fifty years B. C. Some writ- 
ers say six hundred and six years B. C. 



THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 57 



CHAPTER X. 

Enoch, the founder and preserver of the secret of Free 
Masonry lived eight hundred years after the creation of the 
world. Noah lived sixteen hundred and fifty six years after 
the creation of the world and from Enoch to Noah and up 
to the time when Noah died there is no trouble in tracing and 
€stablishnig that the same principles and practice existed then 
that exists now and that they were carried to Ninevah by the 
descendents of Noah. 

Very little is said in profane or sacred history for about 
three hundred years up to the time of Abraham who was one 
of the most remarkable characters or personages placed be- 
fore us in either sacred of profane history. Abraham^ the 
Father of the Faithful and the servant of God. He presents 
to us the most subtle phases of character; a type of Enoch, 
peaceable, yet a warrior if need be. 

Beransus the Babylonian historian says that he was an 
earnest man among the Chaldeans and skilled in celestial 
science. He cites as his authority the Chaldean records. 
Abram, as he was first called was the son of Terah, a brother 
to Nahor and Haran, the descendents of Shem, and allow us 
to state here that he was a son of Hearan, Abram's brother as 
we shall want to refer to this again. Genesis, 12th chapter. 

Now the Lord had said unto Abram ,"Get thee out of thy 



58 THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 

country and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house 
unto a land I will show thee ; And I will make of thee a great 
nation and I will hless thee and make thy name great; and 
thou shalt be blessed; and I will bless them that bless thee 
and curse them that curse thee ; and in thee shall all families 
of the earth be blessed." 

So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken unto him, 
and Lot went with him and Abram was seventy five years old 
when he departed out of the land of Haran. 

And Abraham took Sarah, his wife and Lot his brother's 
son and all their substance that they had gathered and the 
souls that they had gotten in Haran * * * And they went 
forth to go into the land of Canaan, and unto the land of 
Canaan they came, and Abram passed through the land unto 
the place on the plain of Morcah, and the Canaanite was then 
in the land, and the Lord appeared unto Abram and said, "Thy 
seed will I give this land to and whose temples shall be an altar 
unto the Lord who appeared unto him. (A part of the 12th 
chapter of Genesis.) 

And Abram Journeyed down into Egypt and became very 
rich in cattle and in gold and silver. 

We now leave this part of the doings and acts of Abram. 
We have quoted largely from the Bible to show that Abram 
built an altar or temple to the Lord in the same way that 
Enoch and Koah did and established a priesthood, and we 
think it is a very full account of all the news and truths of the 
journey that he made. 

We again take up his history after his name was changed 
from Abram to Abraham. "For a father of many nations 
have I made thee, and I will make thee exceedingly fruitful, 



THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. SQ^' 

and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of 
thee. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee 
and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting 
covnant to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee, and 
I will give unto thee the land wherein thou art a stranger — 
all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession, and I 
will be thy God." (See chapter 17, Gen.) 

And again the Lord said, "Seeing that Abraham shall 
surely become a great and mighty nation and all the nations of 
the earth shall be blessed in him." It was this same righteous 
man that prayed the Lord to spare that wicked city Sodom and 
Gomorrah and the Lord reduced the number from fifty to 
ten; And the Lord said, "If there be ten righteous person& 
found in that great city I will not destroy it, but there were 
not ten righteous persons found in all that great city and 
Lot was ordered out of the city and it was destroyed." 

It was here that Lots wife looked back at the city in vio- 
lation of God^s command and she was turned into a pillar of 
salt, which should be a warning to all women to obey the law 
of God; but she no doubt, like her great mother, Eve, was so 
anxious to find out all that was going on she could not refrain 
from looking back which establishes the fact that God^s com- 
mand is law and the penalty will be inflicted for a violation of 
it. 

But to go back a little we find that on the return of 
Abram — for his name had not then changed — from the 
slaughter of the army of Chidorlaemer and the kings that were 
with him at the valley of Sheveh which is the Kings Dale. 

Melchizidek, king of Salem brought forth bread and wine.. 
He was the Priest of the most high God. He blessed him: 



60 THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 

using these words ;" Blessed be Abram of the most high God, 
possessor of Heaven and Earth. 

This King Melchizidek was a high priest as well as Ab- 
raham was or got to be, after his name was changed from Ab- 
ram to Abraham. 

It is said of Melchizidek that he was a high priest with- 
out beginning of days or end of time, and Christ was made a 
High Priest after the order of Melchizidek. 

And these two kings Melchizidek and Abraham each in 
his day officiated in the temple of the Lord and were the 
parties through which Free Masonry was preserved and 
through which it came; but as to its increase and spread in 
those days we are uninformed. We have searched ancient 
history and are unable to find any positive information as to 
the number and extent of the order in those ancient days. 

Isaac, Abraham's son became the heir of the promises 
made to him. He was the son of Sarah in her old age and 
Ishmal was the son of the bonds-woman. 

According to some authorities this constitutes a Masonic 
land mark for it is necessary that the applicant or candi- 
date be free bom before he is admitted into Free Masonry. 

Jacob was the free son of Isaac and it was through him 
that the secrets of the ordei* were preserved. 



THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRST. 61 



CHAPTER XI. 

One remarkable incident in his life, namely his vision at 
Bethel had 'been introduced into most of the mysteries^ 
Jacobus ladder a significant part of the vision occupies a prom- 
inent place in the Symbolism of speculative Free Masonry. 
(Genesis 28th chapter.) 

When Jacob obtained the blessing from his father his 
brother Esau threatened to kill him on the urgent advice and 
request of his mother. He went to live with his Uncle Laban 
in Padanaram. On his journey he laid down to sleep. He 
had a stone for a pillow. He while sleeping dreamed that 
he saw a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, its foot on 
the earth its top reaching to heaven. On this ladder he saw 
the angels of God ascending and descending, and there in his 
dream God promised to bless him and to give him a num- 
erous posterity. 

When he awoke he said, "This is none other than the 
House of God and the gate of Heaven.^^ He consecrated that 
place to God. 

This ladder occupies a prominent place in Jewish his- 
tory. It has its place in almost all ancient initiations. Why 
is it common property of both? Is it a mere coincidence or 
is it derived from a common source of Symbolism? Or is it 



62 THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 

as Dr. Oliver suggests that though the origin of the Symbol 
was lost yet the Symbol was retained. 

The Masonic ladder consists of three steps in its S3'mbol- 
ism namely, Faith, Hope and Charity. This enables us lo 
advance in our Spiritual life from Mortality to Immortality. 

It is placed on the ground floor of the lodge which is 
typical of the world, its top resting on the covering of the 
Lodge which is symbolic of Heaven. 

This, we think clearly shows that the secrets of the 
Masonic Fraternity were possessed and practiced by Isaac and 
Jacob, and they fully taught the same principles that are 
being taught and practiced by the Masonic Fraternity at the 
present time wherever they may be found; not using the ex- 
^ct language but the same types and symbols. 



THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. (i3 



CHAPTEK XII. 

In our galaxy of heros we next find and consider Moses. 
He was the great law giver of the Children of Israel or the 
Jews. He is specially referred to in the Scottish Eite, in 
the twenty fifth degree or Knight of the Brazon Serpent ; also 
in the Eoyal arch degree of the York and the American Eites, 
the symbolism of these being entirely Mosiac. 

He was one of the greatest men of his day learned in all 
the Egyptian language in the land of the Jewish people, and 
was a great lawgiver, and he was an actor in some of the most 
stupendous events that occurred in* the world's history. 

He certainly stands before us as one of the grandest 
characters in his day. To use the language contained in 
the Bible "he was brought up and taught in all the science 
of the Egyptians." Look at him sleeping as a helpless babe in 
the Ark of Bulrushes placed in the river Nile. 

For forty years he led a shepherd's life studying ITature 
and nature's God. Behold him in the wilderness by the bush 
that was burned and was not consumed. Stand with him in 
the presence of the tryant, Pharaoh. 

Accompany him as a leader of the host of the Children of 
Israel and out of the land of Egypt, across the Eed sea when 
the water obeyed his command and formed two solid walls and 
the Egyptians pursued them and were drowned in the Eed Sea. 



64 THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 

The sea obeying his rod, and the waters parting, his assent 
of the rugged hills of Sinai, his death on Mount Pisgah in 
view of the promised land. And oh, who shall paint the 
grand moral heroism of the man who laid down the sceptor 
and divesting himself of the command of a mighty nation, 
returned alone unto the dark defiles of the hills and there, 
in their solitude gave up his soul unto God. 

And the Book tells us that he was buried in a lonely vale 
by the hand of the Eternal. 

This same lawgiver the founder of a magnificent policy. 
He talked face to face with God. Was he connected with Free 
Masonry ? 

We are confident that the religion which God established 
on earth by him is the most symbolic of any of the religious 
systems in the world. In fact types and symbols were its 
main characteristics. We may consider the Tabernacle the 
center of these religious 'symbolisms ; everything connected 
with it, even to the vestments of the attendants were typical 
or symbolical. 

Ages anterior to Pythagoras the mystical nature of num- 
bers had been inculcated by this Jewish Lawyer. 

"We are sure that we are as the Eternal God" was couch- 
ed in a symbolic form to indicate his self-existing nature. 
When we examine the Mosaic Eitual as it is delineated for 
us in the Pentateuch, especially in Leviticus, we see that sym- 
bolism is the prevailing idea of it. 

It is a fact, too that in the Mosaic worship there is not 
one enactment trifling or superfluous. In Masonry and to the 
Mason, the Mosaic symbolism is of special beauty and worth. 
From it the Masonic system has received and transmitted 



THE SPEEAD OF FREE MASONRY* 65 

through its history some of its grandest and most precious- 
treasures of &3^mbolism. 

Except in the higher degrees everything in the way of 
symbolism possessed by the Fraternity was derived from the 
Mosaic religion. The symbol of the temple every where em- 
ployed in ancient craft masonry is derived from the symbolism 
of the Tabernacle. 

The Jewish idea was, that every Jew was to be a Taber- 
nacle of God. Now the grand idea of Masonry is, that 
every Mason is to be a temple of the Grand Architect. The 
Christian idea embraces and transcends all; "Your bodies are 
the temples of the Holy Ghost." We say Amen, and say 
every Mason ought to believe this and ought to live up to the 
principles taught by the types and symbols of Free Masonry. 
And they ought to live so that the world could and would 
say, "These Masons are living and acting in a manner that is- 
according to the Law given by Jesus, the Son of God; that 
their bodies are fit temples for the Holy Ghost to dwell in. 

Then to the Tabernacle erected by Moses and Aaron in the 
wilderness Ancient Craft Masonry must look for its symbolic 
teaching, and we say this without fear of contradiction, that 
Masons look to the Tabernacle in the wilderness established 
by Moses and Aaron, to the great truths taught by Moses and 
Aaron which were received through the lines of Noah. Abra- 
ham, Isaac and Jacob, and by them preserved and taught to- 
the Children of Israel while journeying for forty years in the 
wilderness; but we are yet unable to give the increase of 
Masonry. Moses was permitted to view the promised land 
but the Lord would not permit him to go over and possess it. 



66 THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 

In the 32nd chapter of Deuteronomy, the Lord uses this 
language, saying, 

"Get up into this mountain, Moses unto Mount Nebo 
which is in the Land of Moab that is over against Jericho, 
and behold the land of Canaan which I give unto the children 
of Israel for a possession, and die in the Mount whither thou 
goest up, and be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron, thy 
brother died in Mount Hor and was gathered unto his people. 

"Because ye trespassed against me among the children of 
Israel at the waters of Miribah Kadesh in the Wilderness of 
Zin, because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the child- 
ren of Israel; yet thou shalt see the land before thee but thou 
shalt not go thither unto the land which I gave the children 
of Israel." So in the 34th chapter of Deuteronomy — "So 
Moses, the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, 
according to the word of the Lord. And he buried him in the 
valley in the land of Moab over against Beth Peor, but no 
man knoweth of his sepulcher unto this day." 

Moses was One Hundred and Twenty years old when he 
died. His eyes were not dim nor were his natural forces 
abated. Thus one of the most unique characters that ever 
lived passed away and Joshua assumes command and as- 
vcends the throne. 

Now throughout Masonic history, so far as we have been 
able to investigate, Joshua is not spoken of as a conspicuous 
character in Free Masonry, but he is referred to in the Higher 
Degrees and there is no doubt but that he practiced the art 
and sciences that Moses had established and practiced while 
lie was living. 

Joshua took charo^e of the Ark of the Covenant and where 



THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 67 

ever he and the children of Isreal traveled the Ark of the 
Covenant was taken and received. 

We find that the Lord enjoined on Joshua to observe all 
the ordinances that Moses had observed and to carry the Ark 
of the Covenant with him, for we find this language in the 
fourth chapter of Joshua, beginning at the tenth verse. "For 
the priests which bore the Ark stood in the midst of Jordan 
until everything was finished and that the Lord commanded 
Joshua to speak unto the people. According to all that Moses 
commanded Joshua and the people hastened and passed over 
and it came to pass when all the people were clean passed 
over that the Ark of the Lord passed over, and the priests in 
the presence of the people. On that day the Lord magnified 
Joshua in the sight of all Israel and they feared him as they 
feared Moses all the days of his life.^^ 18th verse. "And it 
came to pass when the priests that bore the Ark of the coven- 
ant of the Lord were come up out of the midst of Jordan and 
the soles of the priests feet were lifted up onto the dry land 
that the jvaters of Jordan returned unto their place and flowed 
over all their banks as they did before." 

Joshua was a great warrior as well as a great High priest. 
He conquered and destroyed more nations, kings and people 
than any of his predecessors. 

Joshua first met Ai and his army and slew them, and the 
king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmith, 
the king of Lachish and the king of Eglon, saying come up 
unto me and help rae that we may smite thee for it hath made 
peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel, and the 
kings and their armies came up and camped before Gibeon or 
it hath made peace with Joshua and the children of Israel. And 



68 THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 

the man Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp Gilgal saying, 
'slack not the hand, come up to us quickly and save us for the 
kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gather- 
ed together against us/ 

So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and all the people 
of Israel was with him and. all the mighty men of valor. 

"And the Lord said unto Joshua, fear them not for I 
have delivered them unto thy hand. And they were slain 
by Joshua and his army." 

It was here that Joshua commanded the sun to stand still 
and it obeyed him for about the space of a whole day. 

And these are the Kings that were slain by Joshua. The 
king of Jericho, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, 
the king of Jarmith, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, 
the king of Gizor, the king of Dehor, the king of Gedar, the 
king of Hearmah, the king of Arad, the king of Libnah, the 
king of Adullam, the king of Makkedah, the king of Bethel, 
the king of T'appuah, the king of Heisher, the king of Aphek, 
the king of Lasharon, the king of Shaddon, the king of Hazor, 
the king of Shimsora, the king of Achshaph, the king of Ttia- 
sach, the king of Meggeddo, the king of Kedesh, the king of 
Jakriam, the king of Dor, the King of Nations and the king 
of Dirzah, together with their armies. 

The Lord said that Joshua was old and stricken in years, 
and he said to him "There remaineth very much land to be 
possessed, naming it and its people" Now Joshua was king 
and Eleazir was priest and after Joshua had given each tribe 
of Juda their portion of land and defined the boundaries he 
uses this language in the 24th chapter of Joshua. "Now 
therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in truth 



THE SPEEAD OF FEEE MASONRY. 69 

and put away the gods which you and your fathers served on 
the other side of the flood and in Egypt, and serve ye the 
Lord. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose 
ye this day whom ye will serve, whether the gods which your 
father served that were on the other side of the flood or the 
gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell, but as for 
me and my house we will serve the Lord,'^ and Joshua died 
and was buried in the tomb with Sarah which is in Mount Eph- 
raam, he being one hundred and ten years old. 

He lived and ruled about 1427 years B. C. and we are 
confident that he was a Free Mason and practiced it. 

Bob Morris in speaking of Joshua places him 555 years 
B. C. which would make him a different character. 

We maintain that Joshua was a Free Mason if Moses was, 
and that is maintained by all writers, for he was skilled in all 
the practices of Moses. 

And after Joshua, Judah reigned, and then after his reign 
the Israelites were governed for about two hundred and fifty 
years by judges which are too numerous to mention. 

At times they worshiped the true God and at other times 
they worshiped the idolatrous gods, and they were punished 
for their misdeeds and violation of God^s Law as all nations 
have been in the past until we find there lived a King by the 
name of Boaz, who lived about 1171 B. C, and in him we 
find Free Masonry preserved and practiced. 

Eobert Morris in his Dictionary, page 61, says "he was a 
worthy man and he was of the same lineage of Noah, Moses 
and Joshua: and Boaz was a good man and famous among 
his people. 

The line comes down through Obed who was the father of 



70 THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 

Jesse and Jesse was the father of David and David proposed 
to build the temple to the Lord but God himself said to David, 
"Thou shalt not build the temple because thou hast been a man 
of war ;" and he was thus prohibited from building the temple 
to the great "I am/^ 

Eev. Robert Morris, in his Distionary on P. 124, says, 
"that David constructed the whole of the temple in his mind 
and that he viewed it over in his minds eye and no doubt wept 
because the Lord prohibited him from building it. There can 
be no doubt that he took great pains to collect all the mater- 
ial to construct the temple/^ 

David had been watched and chased by Saul, who on 
many occasions had sought and lay in wait to kill David. He 
had sought out many devices to slay him, but the God of Ab- 
raham, Isaac and Jacob protected him and preserved him until 
Saul was slain. 

My dear reader, only think of the great desire that David 
had to construct that magnificent temple. He had his heart, 
and soul, and body set on this. It was the object of his life; 
and many Masonic writers, including Eev. Eobert Morris, say 
that David has never been held out to the Masonic world in 
the proper light; that he has never received a just reward 
for his labors ; surely his labors were great. 

That David was a Free Mason there can be but little, if 
any doubt. 

After he, David, had collected all the material for the 
building of the temple he annointed Solomon king and en- 
joined on him to build the temple. 

David died and was buried and slept with his fathers in 
the city of David, 1014, B. C. 



TPIE SPEEAD OF FREE MAS0NR7. 71 

Solomon, the wisest of all the kings and one of the peace- 
ful kings in ancient times, was to huild the temple; and soon 
after he became king he began to make preparations for car- 
rying out the desires and requests of his father. In so doing 
he sought the assistance of Hiram, King of Tyre, who was and 
had been an ally of his father's. In fact David had gone so 
far as to ask Hiram to aid and assist in building the temple. 

The Tyrians had been distinguished builders and archi- 
tects. They belong to the building fraternity. They were 
Dionesians and Artificers and had long monopolized the 
building profession of Asia Minor. 

The Jews were not remarkable for their architectural 
skill. King Solomon saw the necessity of applying to Hiram 
for his skilled workmen as he intended it to be a magnificent 
structure and raised with as little delay as possible. We are 
informed that he sent in substance, the following letter. 
"Know this that my father would have built a temple to God 
but was hindered by wars and continual expeditions, for he 
was determined to overthrow his enemies or compel them to 
submit to his authority and pay tribute. But I thank God for 
the peace that exists at the present time ; and on that account 
I am at leisure and design to build a house to God, for God 
foretold to my Father that such a house should be built by mc. 

"Wherefore I desire thee to send some of thy subjects with 
mine to Mount Lebanon to cut down timber for the Sidon- 
ians are more skillful than our people in cutting wood. As for 
wages I will pay whatever price thou shalt determine." 

Hiram replied to his letter as follows, "It is fitting to bless 
God that he hath committed thy father's government to thee 
who are a wise man and endowed with all virtues. As for my- 



73 THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 

self, I rejoice at the condition thou art in and will be sub- 
servient to thee in all that thou sendest to me about, for when 
by my subjects I have cut down many and large trees of cedar 
and cypress wood, I will send them to sea and will order my 
subjects to make floats of them and to sail by what places so- 
ever of thy country that thou shalt desire and leave them there, 
after which thy subjects may carry them to Jerusalem; but 
do thou take care to procure us corn for this timiber which 
we stand in need of because we inhabit an Island." 

We are informed that Hiram used all expedition, execut- 
ing what he promised. It is claimed that he sent to Solomon 
thirty five thousand and six hundred workmen of Tyre, be- 
sides enough timber and stone to construct the building. He 
sent also a far more important gift than either stone and ma- 
terial, in the person of an able architect, a curious and a 
cunning workman who was to superintend the adorning and 
beautifying of the building. This personage was Hiram Abif! 
of whom much has been said, and we shall refer to him again. 
King Solomon commenced the erection of this building some 
time in April in the year B. C. 1012. 

Masonic tradition informs us that Hiram the king and 
Hiram the builder instructed king Solomon in all the details 
of the building, and that these three constituted the first three 
Grand Masters of the craft for this great building, and arrang- 
ed the workmen in order, saw to the payment of their wages 
and maintained that which should insure a speedy and satis- 
factory completion of the work. 

The general superintendence of the work was committed 
to Hiram Abiff, while to others were committed the oversight 
of the work in different parts of the building. These tradi- 



THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 73 

tions of Free Masonry mark the permanent establishment of 
Free Masonry on a more permanent basis than it had been be- 
fore that date; in fact it was the first great Masonic temple 
ever built that we have any account of in History. 

Before that time Masonry had existed, we are inclined to 
believe but in a little different form although the principles 
were the same. 

We are informed that the temple was completed one thous- 
and years before the Christian Era. It was longer than seven 
years in building. The Bible further informs us that as soon 
as the temple was finished King Solomon made preparations 
for a solemn celebration of the completion of the work. 

He directed the Ark to be brought from the kings house 
where it had been deposited by King David. We are inform- 
ed that it was deposited in the most impressive manner in 
the Holy of Holies underneath the expanded wings of the 
chamber. This is particularly referred to in the most ex- 
cellent Master's Degree. 

We are further informed that when the temple was com- 
pleted King Solomon caused all the heads of the tribes, the eld- 
ers and chiefs of all Israel to assemble, and to bring the Ark 
up out of Zion. To the leaders was committed the care of the 
Tabernacle; they accordingly delivered the Ark of the Coven- 
ant to the priests who placed it in the center of the Holy 
of Holies. 



74 THE SPREAD OF FEEE MASONRY. 



CHAPTEE XIII. 

In the completion of the temple and its dedication we 
hear little more of Solomon as a Free Mason. He had palaces 
and other edifices built at Jerusalem for himself and others 
and we are informed by history that he had received as most 
excellent Masters those worthy Masons who had been em- 
ployed in the building of that most magnificent temple. 

Here ends the brightest and happiest days of King Sol- 
omon. His after life was clouded and checkered, the grand 
mind so full of wisdom and devotion to Jehovah. 

We cannot comprehend how he could and did fall away 
so far as to consent and did aid and assist in building a temple 
devoted to Idolatry. 

Alas for the perversity of the human mind. The Bible 
tells us he sorely repented. He summed up the value of 
earth's pleasures and allurements in these words. "Vanity of 
Vanities, all is Vanity.'' He tells us more forcibly that the 
wages of sin is death, and that God is not mocked, that 
whatsoever a man sows that he shall reap. 

One or two other characters we desire to mention be- 
fore leaving this great and magnificent temple, and one is 
Hiram Abiff; he was styled "Hiram The Builder" and some- 
times the widow's son. He is spoken of in the seventh chap- 
ter of Kings. He was of the tribe of Naphtali. His father 



THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 75' 

was a raannfacturer of Tyre, a worker in brass and he was 
filled with wisdom and understanding. At this time the 
artists and builders of Tyre were considered the most skilled 
in the world. He was overseer of all the work in the building 
of the temple in all its details. 

The seven and one half years were now drawing to a 
close, the time required for the building and completion of 
the temple. The Fraternity was about to celebrate that sub- 
lime event, the completion of that magnificent building with 
the greatest joy; but alas their joy was turned to mourning 
on hearing of the death of their Grand Master, Hiram Abiff. 
This was a sad occurrence and his remains were buried near the 
temple by the Lodge with great solemnity, and this was shared 
in by King Solomon and Hiram of Tyre and they long 
mourned his death. One of the purest and best men of earth 
was Hiram, upright before God and man and of good repute 
among the world, and, no doubt, was taken to the Grand 
Lodge above where the Supreme Euler of the Universe 
presides. 

For the first time in history Free Masonry began to spread 
but from all that we can learn from profane and sacred his- 
tory it was of short duration. The temple stood on Mount 
Moriah on the ridge known as Mount Zion. This is the prop- 
erty that King David purchased for the purpose of building 
the temple. For nearly thirty years it retained its splendor; 
then it fell into the hands of Shishak, King of Egypt, who 
spoiled and carried away its choicest treasure, and desecrated 
it by idolatrous worship. 

Manassah, the son of Hezekiah, in line, set up an alter 
for the Host of Heaven. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Baby- 



76 THE SPRE^UD OF FREE MASONRY. 

Ion conquered the land, took Jerusalem and destroyed the 
temple carrying the inhabitants away to Babylon. Thus the 
magnificent temple fell and was no more. The inhabitants, 
after four hundred and seventy years were restored. 

We are informed that the whole inclosure of this temple 
was more than half a mile in circumference. 

Viewing the temple as a whole it must have presented a 
magnificent appearance. We leave this temple by saying, his- 
tory informs us that King David collected more than Five 
Thousand Millions of dollars, and this, besides the amount ex- 
pended by King Solomon; and eighty four thousand and six 
hundred men were engaged more than seven years in con- 
structing this building, and as soon as it was completed it was 
solemnly dedicated to the Worship of God who accepted it 
by sending fire from Heaven to consume the sacrifices that 
were offered. 

Leaving King Solomon and the two Hirams we trace Free 
Masonry down through the time from Seth, down through 
the line of the tribe of Juda until we come again to the re- 
building of the temple by King Herod, eighteen years B. C, 
and it is claimed by some historians that this last temple, in 
splendor and magnitude and cost was greater than the temple 
built by King Solomon. 

This was the third temple that was erected. The first 
was built by Moses and was called a Tabernacle; the second 
was the much adored temple built by King Solomon which was 
reverenced and even worshiped by the Jews which has been 
referred to. 

Now a brief description of the third or the one that ex- 



THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 77' 

isted when Christ the Savior of the world came, we hope will. 
not be out of place. 

. We are informed that one thousand wagons were used 
one year in collecting material, and ten thousand men, skilled 
workmen were engaged and worked on this building for eigh- 
teen months, and this was only on the main building. In 
building the wings and annexes they were at work for eight 
years; and in building the approaches and all the buildings- 
connected with this third temple they worked more than forty 
six years in completing this structure. It covered about the 
same ground that the temple built by Solomon did and was 
fashioned and finished on the same plan of the second but was 
built at Jerusalem and was called, by some the Temple of 
Josephus, and the temple of Jesus Christ, and of the Eoman 
Titus. 

It was in this temple that Jesus Christ performed his first 
Miracle. He turned the water into wine. "And when they 
wanted wine the mother of Jesus saith unto him, ^They have 
no wine.^ Jesus saith unto her, 'Woman, what have I tO' 
do with thee ? Mine hour is not yet come.^ His mother said 
unto the servants, 'whatsoever ho saith unto you, do it.^ And' 
they came and set their six water-pots of stone, after the man- 
ner of purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins a 
piece. Jesus saith unto them fill the water-pots with water 
and they filled them up to the brim, and he saith unto them 
'draw out now and bear unto the Governor of the feast,' and 
they bore it. 

"When the rulers of the feast had tasted the water that 
was made wine and knew not whence it was, but the servants- 
knew who drew the water. 



78 THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 

"The Governor of the feast called the Bridgroom and said 
unto him, ^every man at the beginning doth set forth good 
wine, and when men have well drank then there is that which 
is worse, but thou hast kept the good wine until now.' 

"This beginning of mircales did Jesus in the place of 
"Galilee and manifested forth his glory and his disciples be- 
lieved on him. 

"After this he went down to Capernaum, he and his 
mother and his brethren and his disciples, and they continued 
there not many days. 

"And the Jew's passover was at hand, and Jesus went up 
to Jerusalem and found in the temple those that sold oxen 
sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting in the 
temple; and when he had made a scourge of small cords he 
drove them all out of the temple and the sheep and the oxen, 
and poured out the changers' money and oveiihrew the tables. 
And he said unto them that sold doves take those things 
hence; make not my Father's house a house of merchandise. 
Then answered the Jews and said unto him, 'what sign 
showest thou unto us showing that thou doest these things?' 
Jesus answered and said unto them, ^Destroy this temple and 
in three days I will raise it up.' Then said the Jews, 'Forty 
and six years was this temple in building and wil'st thou 
raise it up in three days ? But he spake of the temple of his 
body. (2nd chapter of St. John 7th verse, 23rd chapter of 
Luke.)" And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Her- 
od's jurisdiction he sent him to Herod who he himself was al- 
so at Jerusalem at that time. And when Herod saw Jesus he 
was exceedingly glad, for he was desirous to see him for a long 



THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 79 

season, because he had heard many things of him and he hoped 
to have seen some miracle done by him. 

"Then he questioned him in many words but he answered 
nothing. And the chief priest and scribes stood and vehe- 
mently accused him. And Herod with his men of war set him 
at nought and mocked him and arrayed him in a gorgeous 
robe and sent him again to Pilate. 

"And there followed him a great many people and of 
women which also bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus 
turning unto them said, ^Daughters of Jerusalem weep not 
for me but weep for yourselves and your children; for behold 
the days are coming in the which they shall say Blessed are 
the barren and the wombs that never bear, and the paps that 
never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the moun- 
tains, 'fall on us,' and to the hills, 'cover us.' (25th verse.) 
^'And when they were come to a place called Calvary, there 
they crucified him, and the malefactors were on the right hand 
and the others on the left.' 

"Then said Jesus, 'Father forgive them for they know not 
what they do' and they parted his raiment and cast lots. 
(44th verse.) And it was about the sixth hour and there was 
a darkness over all the earth. 

"And the sun was darkened and the veil of the temple 
was rent in the midst." 

This the last temple or fourth, was destroyed and we are 
informed in a different chapter that Christ said in speaking of 
the temple, "There shall not be one stone left on another." 

We are informed by history that St. John was a Mason, 
and that St. John the Evangelist was also a Mason. Jesus 
Christ, himself taught the principles of Free Masonry to per- 



80 THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 

fection as all Masons know, and specially is this true in the 
Higher Degrees. 

"But/' says the reader, "you speak of four temples ; How 
do you make this out?" The first temple or tabernacle was 
Noah's Ark and was worshiped as such until Moses erected 
a tabernacle which they carried with them through all their 
journeys in the wilderness. 



THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 81 



CHAPTEE XIV. 

Then there is the Grand Temple which Solomon built 
and which is now and has been in all ages since its con- 
struction, the most revered by Masons, and last the temple 
that was built by King Herod. 

In these tabernacles or temples the ark of the covenant 
and Book of the Law were always kept and very carefully 
guarded and are so kept and guarded now. 

This ends the building of Tabernacles and temples so far- 
as we have learned by kings and rulers. 

At this time there is a new order of things in the world. 
Old things have passed away and we understand by this that 
sacrifices, types and shadows are obsolete, and there is a new 
temple erected of which we shall speak fully when we come- 
to speak of the object of Free Masonry. 

"But,^' says the reader, "you are not telling us mucb 
about the spread and increase of Free Masonry.^^ We admit 
that this is true and the reason why we have not done so is the 
fact that history, up to this date fails to inform us. We as- 
sure you, reader, that we have searched sacred and profane 
history to find out the increase and spread of Free Masonry 
and have been unable to do so. We now begin to trace Free 
Masonry on after the destruction of the temple of Herod, and 
we find an order of men calling themselves "Essenes." This^ 



■82 THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 

Schaliger contends with much appearance of truth that the 
Essenes descended from the Kaj^idians who made such a con- 
spicuous figure in the history of the Maccabees. The Kasi- 
dians were a religious fraternity or order of the Knight of the 
Temple of Jerusalem who bou^d themselves to adorn the 
porch of that great structure, and to protect it against its 
enemies and preserve it from decay. 

This association was formed and composed of the greatest 
and best men of Israel, who were distinguished for their 
charitable and peaceful dispositions, and who always sought 
with great zeal to preserve purity among the order and to 
protect the temple from all enemies. 

From these and other historical facts it appears that the 
Essenes were not only an ancient order but they originated 
from an association of Architects who were connected with the 
building of King Solomon's temple.- 

This order, history tells us, was not confined to the Holy 
Land. Like the Fraternity of the Dionysians and Free 
Masons it existed in all parts of the world and though the 
lodges in Judea were chiefly, if not wholly composed of Jews, 
yet the Essenes admitted into their order men of every reli- 
gion and every rank in life. They preserved and adopted 
many of the Egyptians mysteries, and like the priests of their 
'Country, the Magi of Persia and Gymmosophists of India 
they united the study of moral with that of natural philosophy. 

Although they were patronized by Herod in his day and 
respected by all men for their good conduct and morals, and 
the innocence of their order, they suffered severe persecutions 
from the Romans until their order was nearly abolished. 

The fifteenth volume of the constitution of Free Masonry, 



THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 83 

page 25, second book published in 1723, says they were abol- 
ished and uses this language "till the order was abolished about 
the middle of the fifth century, a period extremely fatal to the 
ancient institutions of Egypt, of Greece and of Eome," but 
we cannot agree with the writer. After examination of this 
order and its Eitual and history we prefer to agree with the 
Eev. M. F. Gary, and we quote from him in his work on 
Free Masonry in all ages. p. 236-7. 

"There must have existed in Palestine a society or asso- 
citation which preserved the land-marks of the order.^' The 
reply is, yes, we can point to such — the Essenes when we 
come to trace their history we find a remarkable coincidence 
in the nature, object and ceremonies of the two institutions. 

Jewish philosophers, heathen writers and christian histor- 
ians mention this peculiar and interesting people. 

We know from sacred history that when our Lord Jesus 
Ghrist made his appearance in Judea, there then existed three 
prominent religious sects, namely, the Pharisees, the Sad- 
ducees and the Essenes. 

The precise period in which this last named order of Juda- 
ism first developed itself is not definitely known. Three 
writers mention certain facts in connection with its appear- 
ance. These are Philo, Josephus and Pliny. 

Philo says it was instituted by Moses. Pliny says, "To- 
ward the west of the Dead Sea are the Essenes. They are a 
historical society, miraculous beyond all others throughout the 
whole earth. They live without women, without any money 
and in the company of Palm trees. Their ranks are duly 
made up of the company of the multitudes who resort to them, 
being weary of life. 



84 THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 

"Thus it is that through a thousand ages and probably 
more, incredible to relate these people prolong its existence 
without any one being born among them, so fruitful to them 
are the weary lives of others/' 

Josephus, speaking in general terms of them says that 
they existed ever since the time of the fathers. All these 
statements show that secret societies existed from a very re- 
mote period of antiquity. 

We shall show that this was a secret society. It is 
thought by some writeis that they were not a distinct Jewish 
sect, that they never completely severed themselves from the 
rest of the community; that they were simply an order of 
Judaism ; in fact that they held ultra-Pharasical doctrines and 
usages; that they were the same as the Casidians. If this 
is so then this is a feature in which they closely resemble Free 
Masons. 

There is, however, a fundamental distinction between 
them. Free Masonry adapts a universal tolerance of all relig- 
ions while it is itself Christian; but the Essenes were wholly 
Jewish in doctrine, usage and scope, and confined its mem- 
bership exclusively to Jews. 

The Jewish historian, Josephus speaks definitely of them 
as existing in the days of the Maccabees. It is believed that 
Christ, while on earth, was a member of this Fraternity. The 
idea, however, is purely inferential. 

We have made mention of them as far down as 400 A. D. 
Ephiphamires, Bishop of Constantia and Metropolian of Cy- 
press who was born in Palestine early in the fourth century, 
and died in the year 402 A. D., alludes several times to them 
in his celebrated work against the heretics. At the establish- 



THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 85 

ment of Christianity they appear to be among the earliest who 
embraced its faith. 

The Essenes were very strict in their observance of the 
Mosaic law of purity. They regarded the written law of God 
with the utmost veneration. 

Their highest aim in life was to become the temples of 
the Holy Ghost when they could prophesy, perform miracles, 
effect cures and like Elias, be the forerunner of the Messiah. 
This was regarded as the last stage of perfection which only 
could be reached by gradual growth in Holiness, through 
strict observance of the law. 

They abstained from using oaths, because they regarded 
the invocation in swearing of anything which represents God's 
glory a desecration. 

According to tradition there were four degrees of Purity. 
First, the ordinary purity required of every worshiper in the 
temple. Second, the higher degrees, of purity required of 
every one who would eat of the leaven offering. Third, the 
still higher degree of purity required of those who partook of 
the sacrifices. Fourth, the degree of purity required of thobe 
who sprinkle the water absolving from sin. 

We are informed that the first of these was obligatory, 
the rest voluntary. They were communists and kept their 
goods all together and were supplied from the same treasury; 
hence there was no distinction of rich and poor among them. 

The only difference of rank among them was the degree 
of the order they attained. They lived peacefully with those 
they came in contact with. 

Slavery and war was abhorred by them. They were gov- 



86 THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 

erned by the President of their own choice and all participated 
in his election. 

A member, after due trial for anything prohibited by their 
rules and regulations might be court-martialed and expelled 
or excommunicated. 

They were the most peculiar sect of people that we have 
any account of. They held no cummunication with those out 
side of their own community and were therefore compelled to 
raise and procure all of their own supplies. 

They arose before sun rise and never talked about any- 
thing worldly before they assembled and held prayer. 

Some attempted to heal the sick and followed this for an 
occupation, others instructed the young and those less in- 
formed, but all of them devoted certain hours to studying the 
mysteries of nature and of Eeligion and Astronomy. They 
strenously observed the Sabbath. Ten persons constituted a 
legal number to hold divine service. 

They had no ordained minister and the distinctive 
orders of the Brotherhood as well as the Mysteries connected 
the truths of their order and the Angelic worlds and were the 
prominent topics of the Sabbath day's instructions. 

They studied the scriptures and relied specially on the 
promises of God. They claimed to be a Holy Brotherhood 
and engaged in the works of mercy and charity. 

They curbed or subdued their anger, they were faithful; 
they allowed none of their members to traduce or malign 
any ones character. They claimed and seemed to be ministers 
of peace. 

The applicant before admission to the Fraternity received 



THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 87 

a copy of the rules of t)ie order, and was presented with a 
spade, a white apron and a rake. 

When the candidate i cached the highest degree called the 
disciple or companion — which same name we have at this time 
in the higher degrees of J'ree Masonry — ^he was bonnd by a 
solemn obligation to love God, to be just to all men, to prac- 
tice charity, to maintain truth and to conceal the secrets of 
the society and the mysteries of the Tetragramaton, and the 
other names of God that they claimed to be known by. 

They were truly a remarkably zealous and strange peo- 
ple. The world up to that time had not produced such a sect 
or class of people and some writers claim that they exist at the 
present time. We, from history, are not prepared to confirm 
or disprove this. 

To follow them further; they manifested an intense 
earnestness to serve God and to reach that purity and holiness 
after which they aspired. Their absolute confidence in God 
and resignation to the will of providence, their uniformly holy 
and unselfish life, their unbounded virtue, and utter contempt 
for worldly form and riches, their industry, temperance, mod- 
esty and simplicity of life, their contentment of life and cheer- 
fulness of disposition, their love of order, and abhorrence of 
even the semblance of falsehood, their benevolence and philan- 
throphy, their love for their brethren and their living in peace 
with all men, their tender regard for children and reverence 
for, and anxious care of the aged, their attendance on the sick 
and readiness to relieve the distressed, their humility and 
magnanimity, their firmness of character, and power to sub- 
due their passions, their heroic endurance under the most 
agonizing sufferings for righteousness sake, and their cheer- 



•88 THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 

fully looking forward to death as releasing their mortal souls 
from the bonds of the body to be forever in a state of bliss 
with their creator ; all this makes them a wonderful people. 

In reading history we fail to find a parallel in the his- 
tory of the world. 

Like the Free Masons of the present time they instruct 
their newly made members in the principles and knowledgti 
of the order. No women are admitted among them. They 
had particular signs for recognizing each other which bear a 
striking resemblance to those of Free Masonry at this time. 

They had colleges or places of retirement where they 
contemplated and managed the affairs of the society. Treas- 
urers were appointed in every town to relieve the wants of 
strangers. 

We have examined the monitor or Eitual of the Essenes 
and have no hesitancy in saying that their work, their forms 
and ceremonies are the same as that of Free Masons. We 
do not want to be understood as saying that the language and 
obligations are precisely the same as the work of this present 
time. In fact the work in the different states vary, and in 
all jurisdictions that we have visited the work differs. 

Morris, and others in their history of Free Masonry are of 
the opinion that the similiarity between the Masonic and Es- 
senes system is owing to the fact that they must have a com- 
mon origin. He classes them with the Casidians, who were 
■connected with the building of Solomon's temple. The 
Casidians certainly existed, but we do not know that they 
were a class of architects. It is thought they were a Jewish 
sect who held the temple in special honor. Certainly there 
was a similar spirit of Brotherhood but there was not that 



THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 89 

inherent principle which prevailed in all ages of the civilized 
world, the inherent principles of which, as the results of any 
Fraternity, all the members of which are engaged in the same 
pursuit and assenting to the same religious creed, brotherly 
love, charity and that secrecy which gives them their 
exclusiveness. 



90 THE SPEEAD OF FREE MASONRY. 



CHAPTER XV. 

In tracing the history of Fraternities they have nearly 
the same principles that Free Masons have. We find an or- 
ganization known in history as the Ciildees. Some controversy 
exists among historians and writers as to whom the word 
should be applied. Should it be used only in reference to the 
followers of St. Calumnia ? We find from history that when 
Augustine the monk, with his associates came to England in 
the commencement of the sixth century for the purpose of 
converting the nations to Christianity that he found already 
a British church existing. They had their priests and fol- 
lowers. They were distinguished both for their purity of life 
and doctrine. They were called Culdees, a name which means 
worshipers of God, as defined by some. 

Others claim that the word was originated by Gauls, or in 
Galic language, Culdish, a secluded corner, alluding to a re- 
tired life. 

It is claimed that they came with the Roman Legions to 
Brittian, and that they were in some way connected with the 
Roman colleges. 

It is claimed that they came from the Island of lona in 
about the year 600 A. D. Dr. Rees denies that they were a 
peculiar people or that they were a distinct body in the church. 



THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 91. 

but that the word Culdee was a distinct form applied to them 
as denoting their ascetism. 

It is true that after the lapse of centuries they are men- 
tioned in connection with churches which St. Columba and- 
his disciples had founded. 

It is only when the Calumbian monks had been expelled 
from what was known as the Kingdoms of the Picts, that we 
find the term used. The name is unknown in the works of 
Bide and other writers that wrote on this subject. In this 
connection we must remember that it is not because a name 
does not occur that a name does not exist. 

It is not because the names Culdees is not found men- 
tioned before the year 800 A. D. that Culdees did not exist. 
There was no special necessity for it. Whilst the Celtic 
monks alone existed in the country there was no need of a 
special name to distinguish them. Whatever opinion may be 
held as to the derivation of the word and its use for the first 
time, it can be traced to the year 1526. 

After some future consideration of this sect of people 
and investigation by other writers which we will refer to be- 
fore we close this subject, Casey closes with the following; 
"Others, however, think that the Culdees had organized within 
themselves and as a part of their social system and corpora- 
tions of builders, and that they exercised the architectual art 
in the construction of many sacred edifices in Scotland, Ire- 
land and Wales, and even in other countries in Northern 
Europe. It is' also claimed, as we have said that the York 
constitutions of the Tenth century were derived from them.- 

Masonic writers also claim that between these Apostatic- 



92 THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 

Christians and the early Masonry of Scotland and Ireland 
there was a close connection. 

Mackey, in his Dictionary on Free Masonry, p. 199, says 
they were a very select people, honest and upright, and 
they were persecuted. 

They occupied Scotland, Ireland and Wales and that they 
existed until about the sixth century, when their history 
ceased to exist. 

History on this question differs. Of the Essenes much 
has been said and written by many authors and historians. 

McCoy's Dictionary on Free Masonry p. 97, says, they 
were compelled to live a temperate and charitable life in many 
respects. They were required to make many sacrifices. Mack- 
ey, in his dictionary on Masonry on page 260, in reference 
to the Essenes he says. "There were three classes or sects of 
the Jews when Jesus Christ was born. That they were Imown 
as the Pharasees, Sadducees and Essenes, and that it is gen- 
erally believed that Christ belonged to the Essenes, and they 
gave as a reason that in all the writings and sayings of Jesus 
Christ, he never said anything against the Essenes, and that 
in their laws and customs as referred to by many writers and 
as they appear of record at this time many of the principles 
and sayings of Christ are contained in their law. 

They were quite numerous at the time when Christ was on 
earth; and we again assert that their ceremonies were nearly 
the same as Free Masonry of to-day. But up to this date 
we have been unable to give the numbers of the Fraternities of 
the world or even to approximate the number. 

We have spent more time in tracing Free Masonry from 
Enoch down through its meanderings than we have in finding 



THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 93 

out the number during the different ages of the world's his- 
tory; or we should say that we have been unable to find out the- 
number, although we have searched diligently. 

During the dark ages Free Masonry is hard to trace but 
it survived in a peculiar way. On p. 32, 2nd book 15th vol- 
ume of the constitution of Free Masonry we find the following 
and quote, "Science was in these days synoymous with heresy 
and had any bold and enlightened man entered on investiga- 
tion and published his discoveries to the world he would have 
been regarded as a magician by the vulgar, and punished as a 
heretic by the church of Eome. 

These remarks may be exemplified and confirmed by an 
appropriate instance of the enterprising spirit of the Eomish 
church, even in the sixteenth century, when learning had 
made considerable advancement in Europe. 

The celebrated Baptist, Porter, having, like the sage of 
Samos, traveled into distant countries for scientific informa- 
tion, returned to his native home and established a society 
which he denominated the Academy of Secrets. He communi- 
cated the information which he had collected to the members 
of this association, who in their turn imparted it to their com- 
panions the knowledge which they had individually obtained ; 
but this little fraternity advancing in respectability and science 
soon trembled under the rod of Ecclesiastical oppression, and 
experienced in its dissolution, that the Eomish hirarchy was 
determined to check the order of investigation and compel this 
people to adopt their own habits of ignorance and superstition. 

How, then could Free Masonry flourish, when the minds 
of men had such an unfortunate propensity to monkish retire- 



'94 THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 

ment, and when every scientific secret association was over- 
awed and persecuted by the Rulers of Europe. 

But though the political and intellectual conditions of 
society were unfavorable to the progress of Free Masonry, 
and though the secret associations of the ancients were dis- 
solved in the fifth century by the command of the Roman 
Emperor^, yet there are many reasons for believing that the 
ancient mysteries were observed in private, long after their 
public abolition by these enemies of Christianity who were 
still attached to the religion of their fathei's. Some authors 
even inform us that this was actually the case, and that the 
Grecian rites existed in the eighth centur}' and were never 
completely abolished. These considerations enable us to con- 
nect the heathen mysteries with that traveling association of 
architects which appeared during the dark ages under the 
special authority of the Seer of Rome. 

The insatiable desire for external finery and gaudy cere- 
monies, which was displayed by the Catholic priest in the 
exercise of their religion, introduced a corresponding desire for 
splendid monasteries and magnificent cathedrals; but as the 
demand of these buildings were urgent and continually in- 
creasing it was with great difficulty that artificers could be 
procured, even for the erection of such pious works. 

In order to encourage the profession of architecture, the 
Bishops of Rome, and the other potentates of Europe, confer- 
red on the fraternity of Free Masonry, the most important 
privileges, and allowed them to be governed by laws, customs 
and ceremonies peculiar to themselves, the association was 
composed of men of all nations, of Italian, Greek, French, 
'-German and Flemish artists, who were denominated Free 



THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 95 

Masons, and who ranging from one country to another erect- 
ed those elegant churches and cathedrals which, though they 
once gratified the pride and sheltered the rites of a corrupted 
priesthood now excite the notice of antiquarians and admin- 
ister to the grandeur of kingdoms. 

The government of this association was regular and they 
lived in huts. Every tenth man was called a warden and 
overlooked those under his charge, and those persons who 
were not members of this order were not permitted to engage in 
those buildings which Free Masons alone had a right to build. 

It may seem strange and perhaps inconsistent with what 
we have already said, that the fraternity of Free Masons 
should have been sanctioned, and even protected by the Bishops 
of Eome. 

Secret societies are indeed always a terror to temporal 
and spiritual tyranny, but the Church of Eome, instead of ap- 
proving of the principles of Free Masonry by the encourage- 
ment and patronage which they gave to architecture, only em- 
ployed them as instruments to gratify their vanity and am- 
bition; for in after ages when Masons were more numerous 
and the demand for religious structures less urgent than be- 
fore, the Bishops of Eome deprived the fraternity of the very 
privileges they had conferred on them without solicitation, and 
persecuted with unrelenting rage the very men whom they 
had voluntarily taken into favor and who had contributed to 
the grandeur of their ecclesiastical establishments. 

Wherever the Catholic religion was taught, the meetings 
of Free Masons were sanctified and patronized ; the principles 
of the order were even imported into Scotland where they 
continued for many ages in their primitive simplicity long 
after they had been extinguished in the continental kingdoms. 



96 THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 



CHAPTEE XVI. 

In this manner Scotland became the center from which 
these principles again issued to eliminate, not only nations 
on the continent but every civilized portion of the habitable 
world. 

Without following it further we now will commence to 
give dates when history confirms its spread into the following 
countries. 

Great Britian, in the year 1717, or we should say, the 
Grand Lodge was organized at that time. The first lodge was 
organized in America, in 1730 at Boston, Mass.; and from 
Great Britian to India in 1729. In 1730 a grand lodge was 
organized in Ireland. In 1731 Masonry was introduced and 
established in Germany; and in 1736 provincial Grand Mas- 
ters were appointed for Eussia and Andulusia; also into 
Africa, Upper Saxony. Grand Lodges were established in 
France, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, 
Prussia, Saxony, Hamburg, Switzerland, Italy, Portugal, 
South America, British Columbia, China, Polynesia, Argen- 
tine, New Zealand, Greenland and Iceland. In fact all civil- 
ized nations in the world except Australia, Poland. Some 
claim Eussia and Spain; and Masonry in the last mentioned 
countries are prohibited by an order from the Pope. Catho- 
lics are prohibited from becoming Free Masons. There are 



THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. dT 

protestants in all those countries and some of them are Ma- 
sons true and tried and even the Pope has not been able to en- 
force his Bull or order and his members are breaking the- 
iron bands of Tryanny and oppression, and the daylight of 
freedom has begun to pierce and invade the benighted king- 
dom of the Pope. 

Free Masonry began to spread or increase about the year 
A. D. 1650; up to that date it had existed in different coun- 
tries and had increased at times but it was not general. 

In 1723 the thirty volumes, known as the constitution of 
Free Masonry was published giving its history in all ages 
to that date, and for a more general and comprehensive history 
of the Fraternity which so far as we have been able to examine 
it, is the most reliable and painstaking history that has been 
written and published. 

From 1723 up to the present date the increase or spread 
is wonderful. In the United States alone we number over 
one million. In the rest of the world, for it is world wide 
from the very best information we can get, it is safe to say 
there is twenty million, making a grand total of twenty one 
million true and tried men, all believing firmly in the bible 
and the universal Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of 
man. 

All its types, symbols and teachings are contained in the 
Bible. 

"Book divine, Precious Treasure, thou art mine." 
May its followers cover the earth as the waters cover the 

deep. 

Thus ends the second proposition of this book, written 

Jan. 31, 1902, San Francisco, Calif. 



98 THE SPREAD OF FREE MASONRY. 



Go, mystic and ancient tie, 

From ocean to ocean wave, 
Until Brother shall meet Brother in the sweet bye and 
bye, 
After these bodies have mouldered to dust in this 
earthly grave. 

From Greenland's icy mountain. 

From India's coral strand. 
Where Afric's sunny fountains 
Roll down their golden sand. 

From many an ancient river, 

From many a palmy plain. 
They call us to deliver 

Their land from Error's chain. 

What though the spicy breezes 

Blow soft o'er Ceylon's Isle, 
Where every prospect pleases, 

And only man is vile. 

In vain with lavish kindness 

The gifts of God are strewn; 
The heathen in his blindness 

Bows down to wood and stone. 

Shall we, whose souls are lighted 

With wisdom from on high — 
Shall we to men benighted 

The lamp of life deny? 

Salvation! Oh, Salvation! 

The joyful sound procHim 
'Til earth's remotest nations 

Have heard Jehovah and Messiah's name. 

Waft, waft, ye winds, his story, 

And. you, ye waters, roll, 
'Tihlike a sea of glory 

It spreads from Pole to Pole. 

'Til oe'r our ransomed nation, 

The Lamb for sinners slain — 
Redeemer, King, Creator, 

In bliss returns to reign. 



i 



The Object of Free Masonry. 



•CHAPTEE XVII. 

The third or last subject is the object of Free Masonry. 
We hope to be able to give some thoughts on this proposition 
that will be worth reading; that will make the object of Free 
Masonry plain^ and that it may impress the reader of the 
importance in complying with it in spirit and in truth. 

What is the ultimate object of Free Masonry? In an- 
swer, we say it is to make its votaries better men ; wiser men ; 
consequently happier. Is this statement correct? We assert 
that it is without fear of successful contradiction. 

To make a man better presupposes that he is not as good 
as he ought to be; that he is seeking after light; something 
that will assist him to lift himself up out of the mire and clay 
and place himself on a rock — a rock of information. Is that 
all? We answer, no. Then what kind of a rock will make 
him better? We say the Eock of Ages; the Eock of Christ 
Jesus. 

The stone which the builders rejected which became the 
head stone of the corner — the little white stone — and in it 
was a new name written. 

Can a man make himself better? We say no. Nothing 
but the power of God can make a man better. A man can 
do nothing within himself and if a man can do nothing, a 
collection of men can do no more. Why does Free Masonry 



100 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

use the term to make its votaries better ? In what sense is the 
term used? We answer that it is used in the sense that the 
word "better" is used in the Bible, and we say so without fear 
of successful contradiction; for the reason that Free Mas- 
ony is founded on the Bible and all its teachings are taken 
from the Bible ; its principles are all taken from the Bible ; its 
types, symbols, and tenents are all contained in the Bible. 

The man that originated it was a servant of God and did 
not see death but was translated to Heaven. All its ad- 
vocates, in ancient times were holy men. Then the word 
"better" as used in Free Masonry means that its members 
should be born again, not of the world nor of the flesh, but of 
the spirit. It means that the spirit of Christ should bear wit- 
ness with his spirit that he is a child of God, a joint heir 
of Jesus Christ, the Ecdeemer of Man; the Saviour of the 
world; who said, "In my father's house are many mansions; 
if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a 
place for you that where I am ye may be also." 

"We know that the proud unyielding disposition and the 
natural spirit of man is not willing to admit this ; but my dear 
reader, what can you or any other person do within yourself; 
you are here in this world of disappointments and sorrow ; now 
be honest with yourself and with me ; and admit that you can 
do nothing within yourself to make yourself better in the 
sense in which the word "better" is used in Free Masonry. For 
the carnal mind is not subject to the Law of God nor can it be. 
"Ye must be born again." 

We here insert a poem which we think appropriate. 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 101 

O, why should the spirit of mortal be proud? 
Like a swift fleeting meteor, a fast flying cloud, 
A flas'h of the lightning, a break of the wave, 
He passes from life to his rest in the grave. 

The leaves of the oak and willow shall fade — 

Be scattered around and together be laid. 

And the young and the old, and the low and the high. 

Shall wither to dust and together shall lie. 

The infant the mother attended and loved, 
The mother that infant's affection who proved, 
The husband that mother and infant who blessed, 
Each, all, are away to the dwellings of rest. , 

The maid, on whose cheek, on whose brow, in whose eye 
Shone beauty and pleasure — her triumphs are by. 
And the memory of those who loved her and praised, 
Are alike from the minds of the living erased. 

The hand of the king that the scepter hath borne. 
The brow of the priest, that the mitre hath worn, 
The eye of the sage and the heart of the brave 
Are hidden and lost in the depths of the grave. 

The peasant whose lot was to sow and to reap — 
The herdsman who climbed with his goats up the steep — 
The beggar who wandered in search of his bread 
Have faded away like the grass that we tread. 

The saint that enjoyed the communion of Heaven — 
The sinner who dared to remain unforgiven — ' 
The wise and the foolish, the guilty and just, 
Have quietly mingled their bones in the dust. 

So the multitude goes like the flower or the weed 
That withers away to let others succeed. 
So the multitude comes — even those we behold, 
To repeat every tale that has often been told. 



102 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

For we are the same our fathers have been, 
We see the same sights our fathers have seen. 
We drink the same stream, we view the same sun. 
And run the same course our fathers have run. 

The thoughts we are thinking our fathers would think, 
From the death we are shrinking our fathers would shrink. 
To the life we are clinging they also would cling, 
But it speeds from us all like a bird on the wing. 

They loved, but the story we cannot unfold; 
They scorned, but the heart of the haughty is cold. 
They grieved, but no word from their slumber will come; 
They joyed, but the tongue of their gladness is dumb. 

They died — aye, they died and we things that are now — 
That walk on the turf that lies o'er their brow. 
And make in their dwelling a transient abode — 
Meot the things' that they met on their pilgrimage road. 

Yea, Hope and Despondency, Pleasure and Pain 
Are mingling together in sunshine and rain. 
And the smile and the tear, the song and the dirge 
Still follow each other like surge upon surge. 

'Tis the wink of an eye, 'tis the draught of a breath 
From the blossom of health to the paleness of death. 
From the gilded salon to the bier and the shroud. 
Oh, why should the spirit of mortal be proud. 

(Abraham Lincoln's favorite poem, written by Wm. Knox, a 
Scotchman.) 

Is Free Masonry a religion ? If so what does it claim ? 
Dr. Oliver described it as a system of Morality by the practice 
of which its members may advance their spiritual interests 
and wants by the theological ladder from the lodge on earth 
to the lodge in Heaven. 

Gary asserts in one place that it is but the Handnmid of 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 103 

religion, although it largely and effectually illustrates one 
great branch of it. 

In the English lectures it is described thus. "Free Ma- 
sonry is a beautiful system of morality, veiled in Allegory and 
illustrated by symbols," 

Dr. Mackey, to use his own words gives a miore comprehen- 
sive and exact definition of it when he describes it as a science 
which is engaged in the search after divine truth and which 
employes sj^mbolism as its mode of teaching. We think that 
Mackey is good authority on Free Masonry, but we think that 
Free Masonry goes further. We admit that it takes in all reli- 
gious sects and the Jews and the Gentiles. It is, however, 
not confined entirely to religious sects. One particular thing 
is required of all applicants, and that is, faith in God, trust in 
God. No Infidel can be made a Mason; nor is an applicant 
required to belong to any church, but he is required to believe 
in the principles and teachings contained in the Bible, for he 
is informed in the beginning that the Bible is our guide, i? our 
light, and that its teachings are true. 

We assert then, that the principles upon which, rests Free 
Masonry are assuredly religious. It embraces all the leading 
features of religion. 

To say that it is not a religious institution would be to 
deny its fundamental principles. It was founded by religious 
persons, nourished and cherished by religious persons and it i^ 
to its permanent religious character that it owes its develop- 
ment. 

Hence any effort to separate Free Masonry from religion 
would destroy the fundamental principles of the order. 

What do we understand by religion? Lexicographers 



104 THE OBJECT OF FKEE MASONRY. 

tell "US that religion consists in a belief in the existence and 
perfection of God. In a revelation of his will to man. Paul 
says that true and undefiled religion consists in visiting the 
sick and those in distress, and in assisting the widows and 
orphans and in keeping yourself unspotted from the world. 
It means accountability to God, and that man is responsible to 
God, and that he must love his neighbor as he does himself; 
and that he must love his enemies. 

More generally speaking, religion is defined by some to be 
any system of faith or worship. In this sense, of course it 
includes pagans and Mohammedans, as well as Christians. 

There are many different systems of religion. The reve- 
lation of good will to man is called the spiritual, moral and 
Masonic trestle board of every Mason. By these he is to erect 
a spiritual temple to life eternal in that mansion that God has 
prepared for all those who love and serve him. 

The voice of the grand Architect of Heaven speaks to us 
through and by the symbolism of every ceremony, every type 
and every precept taught in the Bible. 

We desire now to furnish the quotations used in the Bible 
as they refer to the word better. Samuel, loth and 22nd verse 
"And Samuel said hath the Lord as great delight in burnt 
offering and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? 
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than 
the blood of rams." 1st Kings, chapter 19, verse 4. "But 
he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came 
and sat down under a juniper tree, and requested for himself 
that he might die ; and said, "it is enough now. Oh, Lord, take 
away my life, for I am not better than my fathers/ " 

Psalms, 63rd chapter, 5th verse: "Because thy loving 



THE OBJECT OF EREE MASONRY. 105 

kindness is 'better than life, my lips shall praise thee/' Eccles- 
iastics, 4th chapter 9th verse. "Two are letter than one be- 
cause they have a good reward for their labors." 

Solomon, 7th chapter, 10th verse: "Sayest thon, what 
is the cause that the former days were letter than these; 
for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this." Matthew, 
12th chapter, 12th verse. "How much then is a man letter 
than a sheep ? Wherefore is it lawful to do well on the Sab- 
bath days." Luke, 5th chapter, 39th verse. "No man also 
having drank old wine straightway desireth new, for he saith 
the old is letter." Phil., 2nd chapter 3rd verse. "Let noth- 
ing be done through strife or wrangling, but in lowliness of 
mind let each esteem others letter than himself." Heb. 1st. 
chapter and 4th verse. "Being made so much letter than the 
angles as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent 
name than they also." 11th chapter 16th verse. "But now 
they desire a letter country, that is an Heavenly; wherefore 
God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath pre- 
pared for them a city." "By faith Abraham, when he was 
tried, offered up Isaac ; and he that had received the promises 
offered up his only begotten son." 2nd chapter and 21st verse 
*Tor it had been letter for them not to have known the way 
of righteousness than after they had known it to be a lesson 
from the Heavenly commandment delivered unto them." 2nd 
chapter of Ecc, 24th verse. "There is nothing letter for a 
man than he should eat and drink and that he should make his 
soul enjoy good in his hour. This also I saw that it was from 
the hand of God." 26th verse. "Eor God giveth to a man 
that which is good in his sight, wisdom and knowledge and joy, 
but to the sinner he giveth travail to gather and to heap up 



106 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

that he may give to him that is good before God." Jonah 
4th chapter, 3rd verse. "Therefore now, Oh Lord, take, I 
beseech thee, my life from me for it is better for me to die 
than to live.''' 5th verse added. "Then said the Lord;, ^Doest 
thou well to be angry ?' " * * * 

We have given all the Bible quotations for the pur- 
pose of commenting on them, that we might get the light in 
which the word "better" is used; and to try and get at the 
true sense in which the writer in the Bible uses the word and 
after reading and thinking over the use of the word I am of 
the opinion that the word is used in the sense that, man is pre- 
pared for the kingdom of Heaven ; that his mind is in a condi- 
tion, and trying to divest itself of those evil intentions that 
pertain to this world. In other words, that it means to divest 
your conscience of the superfluities of life, thus preparing tho 
body for that spiritual kingdom, that house not made with 
hands, eternal in the Heavens; for the sacred historian says 
"to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded 
is life everlasting through our Lord Jesus Christ." 

"Better man," from all sources honestly interpreted, 
means as the word is used by Masons, that it makes a man 
not only better morally, but that it makes him better spirit- 
ually, that man is conceived in sin and brought forth in in- 
iquity, is now admitted by all except infidels and Atheists. 

As we have heretofore stated, parties that do not possess 
that belief cannot be made a Mason. 

On a full investigation of the phrase "better man" in 
connection with this subject, it means that its votaries should 
not only believe the Bible to be true but should comply with its 
precepts and teachings — "Ye must be born again." 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 107 

We are told that "The wind bloweth where it listeth and 
ye hear the sound thereof but cannot tell from whence it came 
and whither it goeth" and so is every one that is born of God. 

The candidate for Free Masonry is in the dark and in that 
state remains until he receives the light of the truth as the 
same is imparted to him. 

Darkness is too, and may be considered as a symbol of 
death, and the imparting of light as a symbol of the glory 
of the Eternal vision of life everlasting. 

DEATH : Many nations among which are the Scandina- 
vians, describe death in their Eddas in the gloomiest manner 
imaginable. The heathen believed in annihilation. The 
ancient mysteries of Free Masonry were based on the doctrine 
of the immortality of the soul. 

The Masonic teachings of this generation points to it as 
the gate to which entrance into immortal life is obtained and 
specially is this so in the higher degrees. The masonic and 
the minister's idea, or we would say this applies to all chris- 
tians, their idea of death is in meeting it with no gloomy 
forbodings. They represent it as a sleep from which there 
is an awakening into higher and better life than this; where 
they, with the redeemed of God, the Son, with the spirits of all 
just men made perfect, shall walk the Gold Paved Streets of 
the New Jerusalem forever, where the Grand Master of the 
universe shall preside forever. "The maid is not dead but 
sleepeth." Our friend Lazarus is not dead but sleepeth. 

The teachings and philosophy of the third degree is to 
teach and it does teach the resurrection of the body and eternal 
life. Life here, is the time to prepare for that higher and 
better life, to be a better man means all this. It means that 



108 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

when life closes here it opens upon a newer and better and 
higher one; it means to be forever with God. 

Oh, foi a thousand tongues to sing 

Our great Redeemer's praise; 
The glories of our God and King, 

The triumph of his praise. 

Be not deceived, My Brethren, God is not mocked, for 
whatsoever a man sows that shall he reap. If he sows to the 
flesh, he shall of the flesh reap corruption but if he sows to 
the spirit he shall of the spirit reap life everlasting. 

Which do 3'ou prefer, my reader, choose you this day which 
you will serve. "Man that is born of woman is of few days 
and full of trouble. He cometh forth as a flower and is cut 
down." A better man. 

"Eemember now thy creator in the days of thy youth, 
while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when 
thou shalt say, ^I have no pleasure in them.^ " "While the 
light of the sun, moon and stars be not darkened nor the clouds 
return after the rain ; In the day when the keeper of the house 
shall tremble and the strong men shall bow themselves, and 
the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look 
out of the windows shall be darkened." 

"And the doors shall be shut in the streets when the 
sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice 
of the bird and all the daughters of music shall he brought 
low. Also when they shall be affraid of that which is high 
and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flour- 
ish and the grass-hopper shall be a burden and desire shall 
fail because man goeth to his long home, and the mourning 
goes about the streets. 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 109 

"Or ever the silver cord be loosed or the golden bowl be 
broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel 
broken at the cistern, then shall the dust return to the earth as 
it was and the spirit shall return unto God, who gave it. Van- 
ity of vanities, saith the preacher, all is vanity." And, more- 
over, because the preacher was wise he still taught the people- 
knowledge. Yea, he gave good heed and sought out and set 
in order many promises. The peacher sought to find out ac- 
ceptable words; and that which was written was upright even 
words of truth. The words of the wise are as goads, and as 
nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given 
from one shepherd ; and further, by these my son, be admon- 
ished of making many books, there is no end and much study 
is a weariness of the flesh. 

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter ; fear God 
and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of 
man. For God shall bring every work unto judgment with 
every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil." 
12th chapter of Ecc. 

We have already said that the fundamental principles of' 
Free Masonry are belief in one God, the Supreme Eedempt"on 
of the body. It is based likewise, on the broadest principles of 
toleration and the recognition of the glorious truth of the uni- 
versal brotherhood of man; founded on the Eternal truth of 
the fatherhood of God. 

It is opposed to tyranny in any form in church and state. 
It discountenances vice and exalts and emphasizes virtue. It 
is universally apparent in its extending benefits to men of all 
nationalities and religions and includes in its grand design 
for good, the family society, the nation and the race at large^ 



110 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

It is a system of symbolism and its symbols teach 
tlie purest and highest truths. It is engaged in erecting a 
temple, the temple of HUMANITY and which it seeks to ele- 
vate in its entire body, soul and spirit. 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. Ill 



CHAPTEE XVIII. 

In this it recognizes the great truth that he builds in vain 
who does not acknowledge and invoke the aid of him who is 
the Grand Architect. 

In its teachings it employes the facts of nature and his- 
tory with a grandeur and yet a simplicity which is truly strik- 
ing. Its mission and its duty is to show that the essence of 
love is self sacrifice^ and to this end it inculcates tenderness in 
ministrations, inspires enobling aspirations, intensifies loyalty 
in friendship, and stimulates truth and honor in all the rela- 
tions of life. It makes and deepens the sentiment of good will 
to all mankind. 

That all this is practical is evidenced by the existence of 
the splendid actual charities it maintains for the aged, the 
widow, and the orphan; and it is further evidenced by the 
sympathy, care and help given to the poor and the needy. All 
this and much more deservedly wins utterance of commenda- 
tion even from those that are not of the craft. 

Universal benevolence is the tenets of Free Masonry in 
contrast to the frigid, sordid selfishness which debases the 
nobler traits of man's character. 

It places prominently in its beautiful Eitual, impressive 
ceremonies and far-reaching philosophy, the unfathonable, in- 
exhaustive love of God. 



112 THE OBJECT OF FEEE MASONRY. 

As the fraternity of Free Masonry is eonceded to be 
the most ancient of all the fraternities now in the world, so 
there is now none existing which teaches such sublime 
morality. 

In this some writers claim that it is the hand-maid of reli- 
gion ; but we claim, viewed as it should be it is religion. 

Intemperance, immorality, disloyalty to citizenship, irre- 
verance toward sacred things, impiety and profanity, are whol- 
ly opposed to the spirit and teachings of Free Masonry; and 
that contemptible, cowardly and unmanly habit of backbiting 
and vilifying the character of the absent is in the strongest 
manner condemned by the express teaching of the fraternity. 

Such as slander and libel in every shape is condemned 
and prohibited by Masonic law, and is repugnant to the whole 
spirit of Free Masonry, and no good Brother that has con- 
ceived the true meaning and intent of the principles of Ma- 
sonry will engage in any of the practices that are prohibited 
by Masonic law and its teachings. 

Instead of the above things mentioned it inculcates that 
beautiful spirit of charity which while it does not condone nor 
palliate vice, yet covers a multitude of sins. 

The Golden rule of the Savior. "Do unto others as 
you would wish they should do unto you" is made prominent 
in the whole teaching of the eraft, and the maxims of men- 
tal duty and obligations which man owes to his fellowmen is 
emphatically inculcated. 

Is it any wonder then, in view of these facts that the 
institution should reckon among its hosts the pious, the reli- 
gious, the philanthropist, the patriot, the warrior, the priest, 
the philosopher, the divine, the mechanic, the artist, and men 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY., 113- 

of all grades in life, who prize virtue, stimulate progress and 
civilization and cherish, true liberty. 

To be a better man then tried by the above rule means 
something; it means to the true Master Mason, you may 
have all this world ; I seek a city, a temple whose builder and 
maker is God. 

We asserted that the real object of Free Masonry was to 
OBake its votaries better, wiser and consequently happier 
m.en. We have only considered the word 'better, and will now. 
take up the word wiser. 

The word wiser in the general acceptance of the term, 
means to gain more knowledge about the things of this life, 
about the topics that pertain to the world^s history ; the prin- 
ciples and laws that govern the various nations of earth; his- 
tory, politics, arts and sciences ; but what does the word ^Viser'^ 
mean when applied to Ancient Craft Masonry ? We take the 
position that the word "wiser" or "wisdom" as the same words 
are used in the bible — that they have the same meaning when 
used in Free Masonry, and if you ask us why we contend 
for this construction of the word, we say that Free Masonry,. 
is taken from the Bible, founded on the Bible; all its land 
marks, t3^pes, sj^mbols and ceremonies are contained in the 
Bible. Destroy the Bible and you destroy the great light of 
Masonry; destroy the Bible and you cannot congregate nor 
open a lodge of Free Masons. Destroy the Bible and you des- 
troy its history and the account of its great temples. Des- 
troy the Bible and you destroy the Book of the Law, and Free 
Masonry must cease to exist. 

We shall then find out what the word "wisdom" means 
as the same is used in the Book of the Law. Exodus, 21st 



114 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

■f^hapter, 3rd and 4th verse. "And I have filled him with the 
«piiit of God in wisdom and in understanding and in all 
knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship to devise cun- 
ning work; to work in gold and in silver and in brass.'' 5-6-7, 
"^'^and in cutting of stones to set them, and carving of timber to 
work in all manner of workmanship, and, behold, I have given 
with him, Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of 
Dan. And in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have 
put wisdom that they may make all that I have commanded 
them; the tabernacle of the congregation and the ark of the 
testimony and the many yeats that are thereupon and all the 
furniture of the tabernacle." Kings, 2nd chapter, 3rd verse. 
"Behold, I have done according to thy words ; Lo I have given 
thee a wise and understanding heart so there were none like 
thee, before thee neither after thee shall any arise like unto 
thee." 2nd chapter, 29th verse. "And God gave Solomon 
wisdom and understanding exceedingly much, and largeness of 
heart, even as the sand on the sea-shore." Chronicles, 22nd 
chapter 12th verse. "Only the Lord give thee wisdom and 
understanding, and give charge concerning Israel, that thou 
mayest keep the law of the Lord thy God." 2nd Chronicles, 
1st chapter, 10th verse. "Give me now wisdom and knowl- 
edge that I may go out and come in before this people ; for who 
^can judge this thy people, that are so great." Ezra, 7th chap- 
ter, 25th verse. "And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy 
'God, that is in thy hand, set magistrates and judges which 
may judge all the people that are beyond the river, and ail such 
as know the Laws of God, and teach ye them that know them 
net" 

Prov. 2nd chapter, 6th verse. "For the Lord giveth wis- 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 115 

dom, out of his mouth cometh knowledge and undv^rstanding.''' 
2nd chapter, 26th verse. "For God giveth to man that which 
is good in his sight wisdom and knowledge and joy; travail 
together and to heap up that he may give to him that is good 
before God. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit." Dan- 
iel, 2nd chapter and 20th verse. "Daniel answered and said 
blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for by wisdom 
and might are his acts." 6th chapter 10th verse. "And 
they were notable to resist the spirit and the wisdom by which 
he spake." Acts 7th chapter, 10th verse. "And delivered 
him out of all his afflictions and gave favor and wisdom in the 
sight of Pharaoh, King of Egypt, and he made him Governor 
over Egypt and all his house." 2nd Peter, 3rd chapter I5th 
verse. "And on account of the long suffering of our Lord in sal- 
vation, even as our beloved brother, Paul also according to ihe 
wisdom given unto him, hath written unto you its characteris- 
tics." Deut. 4th chapter, 6th verse. "Keep them and do them 
for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of 
the nations which shall hear all these statutes and say, "surely 
this great nation is a wise and understanding people." Job 
chapter 28, verse 12. "But where shall wisdom be found ? and 
where is the place of understanding?" Psalms 111th chapter, 
10th verse. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wis- 
dom, as good understanding have all they that do his com- 
mandments; his praise endureth forever." Prov. 11th chap- 
ter, 2nd verse. " — to know wisdom and understanding, to per- 
ceive the words of understanding." Prov. 24:th chapter, 7t]i 
verse. "Wisdom is too high for a fool; he openeth not his 
mouth in the gate." 28th chapter, 7th verse. "Who so 
keepeth the law is a wise son, but he that is a companion of 



116 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

riotous men shamed his Father." Ecc. 2iid chapter, 13th \eT?e 
"Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly as far as light excell- 
eth the darkness." 7th chapter, 19th verse. "Wisdom 
strengthens the wise more than ten mighty men which are in 
the city." Chapter 9th, 13th verse. "This wisdom have I s:en 
also under the sun it seemeth great unto me." Matthew, 7th 
chapter, 24th verso. "Therefore whosoever heareth these say- 
ings of mine and doeth them I will liken him unto a wise mau 
that built his house on a rock." 25th verse. "And the rain 
descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat 
upon the house and it fell not for it was built upon a rock." 

These last two verses alone, if there were no others set- 
tles this question as to what the word "wiser" means as it is 
used in connection with Free Masonry. 

My Dear Brother, the wages of sin is death, but the gifts 
of God is Eternal life through our Lord and Savior Jesus 
Christ. 

The word "wiser" means this to every true Mason. Who 
is a wise man and endoweth with knowledge among you? Let 
him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness 
of wisdom. 

This verse goes to show that the word "wiser" or "wis- 
dom" means meekness in conversation and action. Then let 
the Mason be prudent and careful in his conversation which 
certainly would mean to him that "Thou shalt not swear. Thou 
shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." 

Wisdom; to be sought for. Psalms: 90th chapter, 12th 
verse. "So teach us to number our days that we may apply 
our hearts unto wisdom." Matthew 10th chapter, 16th verse. 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 117 

"Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves ; he 
ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves/' 

Romans; 16th chapter 19th verse. "Behold, for your 
obedience is come abroad unto all men; I am glad therefore 
on your behalf but yet I would have you wise unto that which 
is good, and simple concerning evil. 

"For it is written that Mary chose the better part, and 
that never shall be taken away; she chose a home in that 
house not made with hands — Eternal in the Heavens." 

Masonically speaking, to be wise means this; "For this 
is wisdom sought after by Masons and is the only true wis- 
dom." 

Ephesians, 5th chapter, 15th verse reads thus : "See thou 
that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise men," — 
redeeming the time because the days are evil," — and that from 
a child thou hast known the Holy scriptures which are able to 
make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ 
Jesus. 

The blessings attending wisdom as referred to in the Book 
of the Law : Proverbs, 1st chapter, 5th verse. "A wise man 
will hear and will increase in learning, and a man of under- 
standing shall attain unto wise counsels." 3rd chapter, 13th 
verse. "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom and the man 
that getteth understanding." 8th chapter, 11th verse. "For 
wisdom is hetter than riches, and all the things that may be 
desired are not to be compared to it." 16th chapter, 16th 
verse. "How much better it is to get wisdom than to get 
gold, and to get understanding than to get silver." 

Also chapter 24, verse 3. "Through wisdom is an house 
builded and by understanding it is established." Ecclesiastic, 



118 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

7th chapter, 11th verse. ^^Wisdom is given with an inherit- 
ance and by it there is profit to them that see the same." 9tii 
chapter and 13th verse. "This wisdom have I seen also under 
the sun, and it seemed great unto me." 12th chapter, lltli 
verse. "The words of the wise are as goads and as nails fast- 
ened by the Masters of assemblies which are given from one 
shepherd." Matthew 25th chapter, 12th verse. "Then shall 
the kingdom of Heaven be likened unto ten virgins which took 
their lamps and went forth to meet their bridegroom; and 
five of them were wise and five were foolish." 

Thus we see the evidence accumulated and there can be no 
question but what the word "wiser" or "wisdom" means that 
the Mason if he wants true wisdom, must first seek the king- 
dom of God, and he will receive that wisdom that will light 
his paths and travels while here on earth, and if faithful to the 
end, will give an Entrance into that grand lodge above where 
the supreme Architect presides. 

We will continue the evidence, attained in answer to 
prayers. First Kings; 3rd chapter and 9th verse. 

"Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to 
judge thy people that I may discern between good and bad for 
who is able to judge this thy people who are so great a people." 
Also 10th chapter and 6th verse : "and she said to the king it 
was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy 
acts and of thy wisdom." Also proverbs 2nd chapter and 
2nd verse. "Yea if thou comest after knowledge and lif test up 
thy voice for understanding." Daniel 2nd chapter, 21st verse. 
"And he changeth the times and the seasons; he removeth 
kings and setteth up kings; he giveth wisdom unto the wite 
and knowledge to them that knoweth understanding." James, 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 119 

chapter 1, verse 5 : Which it seems to me if any thing is lack 
ing settles it beyond a reasonable doubt, and is as follows : "If 
any of you lack wisdom let them ask of God that giveth to all 
men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." 

The candidate is required to trust in God ; is required to 
pray to God. What for ? Is it for temporal blessings ? We 
answer no for it has been written that it rains on the just and 
the unjust; then what does he pray for? Wisdom, to guide 
and protect him ; he is then thinking of something having trav- 
eled that road long ago. Allow me to state that he ought to 
be thinking of the great hereafter; and after he has taken the 
third degrees if it has made the proper impression on his mind 
then he is ready to ask the Father of us all, the I am that I am, 
for a place in that upper and better kingdom ; for some humb] e 
place in that house not made with hands Eternal in the Heav- 
ens. Oh that it may make this impression, for then and 
then only will it make that impression on the votary's mind 
that it was intended to make. Then, Dear Eeader, will the 
word "wiser" have made the impression that it was Masonical- 
ly intended that it should make. 

We assert that if it does not make this impression, if it 
does not accomplish this for the votary then he has lost his 
time and it is as a sounding brass and tinkling cymbal to him. 

We will continue. : Wisdom Personified : — see Proverbs 
1st chapter, 20th verse as follows: "Wisdom crieth without; 
she uttereth her voice in the streets.'' 

Danger of Disparing: See Proverbs 1st chapter, 24th 
verse. "Because I have called and ye refused; I have 
stretched out my hand and no man regardeth." Also see 3rd 
chapter and 21st verse: "My son, let not them depart from 



120 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

thine eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion/^ And we 
find the following which we think shows the light clearly in 
which the word is used in the eighth chapter and thirty-sixth 
verse as follows : "But he that seemeth against me wrongeth 
his own soul; all they that hate me love death/' 

We find in the Book of the Law in plain simple language 
— "the soul that sinneth shall die. Without the forgiveness 
of our sins we shall die." 

Continuing on this same subject we find in Proverbs, 7th 
chapter, l^th verse, as follows : "If thou be wise, thou shalfc 
be wise for thyself ; but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear 
iV Also in the tenth chapter and twenty first verse as 
follows: "The lips of the righteous feed many but fools die 
for want of wisdom." Continuing, see the 11th chapter arid 
12th verse which reads as follows: "'He that is void of wis- 
dom despiseth his neighbor but a man of understanding hold- 
eth his peace." Then do not overlook the word "wiser" or 
"wisdom" in Free Masonry. It is one of the grandest words 
connected with the order, if you will only follow and adopt the 
true idea it was intended to convey by all the great and good 
men of the fraternity. 

The last division of the word "wisdom — wiser — wise" used 
in the book of the law^ — and all members of the chapter decrees 
will fully understand what the Book of the Law, is, to all 
members of every degree — we will say that the Book referred to 
is the Bible, the works of God. 

Psalms ; 104th chapter 24th verse. "0, Lord, how mani- 
fold are thy works; in wisdom hast thou made them all; the 
earth is full of thy riches." 

This whole chapter shows the wonderful works and 



THE OBJECT OF EREE MASONRY. 121 

power of God as fully as any chapter in the Bible, and shows 
his great and wonderful wisdom. 

Psalms, 136th chapter, 1st verse as follows: "To know 
that by wisdom God made the Heavens, for his mercy enduretJi 
forever." 

Truly, Eeader, great wisdom is in this one sentence shown. 
Do you, my friend, want part in the first resurrection in which 
the second death hath no power? If you do be wise and 
choose the good part that Mary chose, that shall never be tak- 
en away. If you want to comply with the word wiser, seek ye 
the Kingdom of God and wisdom shall be added that will stand 
when this world is on fire. 

Proverbs, 3rd chapter and 19th verse which reads as fol- 
lows : "The Lord by his wisdom hath founded the earth ; by 
understanding hath he established the Heavens." 

Is this true? All Masons say it is for it is contained in 
the Bible and you have said and acknowledged that the Bible 
is the great light in Masonry. It is to guide our feet and our 
faith in the path-way of truth. And if faith is defined as the 
substance of things, hope for the evidence of things not seen. 
What does the Mason hope for ? He certainly hopes that after 
death he will be a member of the Supreme Lodge above. 

The only way this can be. My Brother, is to be born 
again. Flesh and blood cannot enter the Supreme Lodge 
above. 

Continuing, see chapter 6th, verse 6th, which reads, "Go 
to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways and be wise." 
Comment is unnecessary on this verse. See Jeremiah, chapter 
10, verse 12. "He hath made the earth; by his presence 
he hath established and stretched out the Heavens." Will 



122 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

you admit this. My Reader? If you do, and you will, then 
to be wiser is to acknowledge the Law and the Gospel to he 
true ; to admit that is to admit that Jesus Christ is the Son of 
God ; that he was crucified on the cross of Calvary to save the 
world ; and that by the transgression of the Law by Adam, our 
great ancestor, we are all dead ; dead in trespass and sin. 

But thank God who gave His only Begotten Son to suffer 
and to die that we might have Eternal life through his blood. 

The only way you can do this. My Dear Eeader is to come 
to God through Christ, and say, "Here Lord I give myself 
away, it is all that I can do.^^ 

To be wiser is to do this without delay. Eomans 11th 
chapter and 33rd verse reads: "0, the depth of the Riches 
both" of the wisdom and knowledge of God ; how unsearchable 
are his judgments, and his ways past finding out." Oh, that 
we had language to impress this on the mind of the reader. 
The idea contained in this verse is sound and worthy of deep 
meditation. How wonderful are all his ways ; as the Heavens 
are above the earth so is God's ways above man's ways. 

Now we will return to Genesis; 41st chapter and 39th 
verse. "And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, for as much as God 
hath shown thee all this there ^re none so discreet and wise as 
thou art." This verse is in point. First Kings chapter 4th, 
verses 29-30-31 : "And God gave Solomon wisdom and un- 
derstanding exceedingly much, and largeness of heart even as 
the sand that is on the sea shore. And Solomon's wisdom ex- 
celled the wisdom of all the children of the east country and 
all the wisdom of Egypt. 

"For he was wiser than all men ; than Evan the Israelite, 
and Hernan and Chalcal and Darda, the sons of Mahal, and his 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 123^ 

fame was in all nations and about.'' Wiser in what? Wiser 
in the Law of God. 

Yet it is recorded in history that Solomon in all his 
wisdom strayed away from God's Law into idolatry, and a? 
soon as he did this God's mercy was withdrawn from him, and 
he soon accepted this to be true. 

Eead the account following in the 11th chapter of the 
First Kings. "But King Solomon loved many strange wo- 
men together with the daughters of Pharoah; women of the 
Moabites, Amorites, Edamites, Zidomians and Hitites. Of 
the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children 
of Israel "Ye shall not go in unto them, neither shall they 
come in unto you, for surely they will turn away your heart 
after their gods ; Solomon clave ye unto this in love. ''And 
he had seven hundred wives, princesses and three hundred con- 
cubines, and his wives turned away his heart. For it came 
to pass when Solomon was old that his wives turned away 
his heart after other gods ; and his heart was not perfect with 
the Lord his God as was the heart of David, his father. For 
Solomon went after Ashdoroth, the Goddess of the Zidonians, 
and after Melcom, the abomination of the Ammorites. 

"And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord and went 
not fully after the Lord as did David, his father. 

"Then did Solomon build a high place for Chemosh, the 
abomination of Moab in the hill that is before Jerusalem and 
for Melic the Abomination of the children of Ammoron; and 
likewise did he for all his strange wives which burnt incense 
and sacrificed unto other gods. And the Lord was angry with 
Solomon because his heart was turned from the Lord God of 
Israel which had appeared unto him twice, and commanded 



12J: THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

liim concerning this thing that he should not go after other 
gods ; but he kept not that which the Lord commanded/^ 

"Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, For as much as 
this is done of thee and thou hast not kept my covenant and 
my statutes which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend 
the kingdom from thee and will give it to thy servant. "Not- 
withstanding, in thy days I will not do it for David, thy 
father's sake; but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.'* 

"And Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in 
"the city of David his father, and Rehobom, his son, reigned in 
his stead." We have copied the Bible with reference to Solo- 
mon to show just exactly what the Lord said to Solomon, him- 
self, and the reason he said it. 

Here we have one of the greatest characters that ever lived 
in ancient or modern times. It is, we think safe to say, that 
he is the most prominent character in Free Masonry. He 
huilt the first great temple and firmly established the principles 
on which the order had been founded; but lo, he fell; he de- 
parted from the Law of God; he violated Grod's command- 
ments and for that Solomon was informed that his kingdom 
would be destroyed or taken from him and given to another. 

It is the same, yesterday, today and ever will be, the 
^ages of sin is death or destruction which means the same 
thing; but the gift of God is Eternal life through our Lord 
and Savior Jesus Christ. 

To be wiser, then is to obey God and keep his commiand- 
ments, for this is the whole duty of man. 

We may now repeat something that we have before re- 
ferred to but it seems appropriate to give more of the fact? 
and acts of Solomon in building the temple at this time, and 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 125' 

in connection with the scripture. And Masonically consid- 
ered, there centers around Solomon, the son of David the 
great and wise king of Israel, a vast amount of Historic and 
symbolic material. He ascended the throne in the year 1015, 
B. C, being about 21 years old. He was known for his 
knowledge and wisdom. From the Bible we learn that his ob- 
ject was to build the temple, and from this standpoint we will 
especially consider him here. 

Large preparations had been made by his father David 
for this building. He had all the workmen numbered in his 
kingdom. He appointed overseers of work, hewers of wood 
and stone, hearers of burdens; and had prepared a great 
quantity of brass and iron and cedar, and had collected be- 
sides a large quantity of gold, silver and other treasures. 

David had conceived the idea of building the temple ; on 
consulting the prophet Nathan, he was informed that it would' 
please the Lord to have him build the temple, yet as he was '\ 
man of many wars he would not be allowed to carry out his 
plans, that, however, it would be reserved for Solomon, his 
son; and when David was about to die he expressly charged 
Solomon to build the temple when he ascended the throne ; also 
gave him instructions how to construct it and gave him the 
money, amounting to ten thousand talents of gold and twenty 
thousand talents of silver which he had amassed towards tha 
expense. 

Scarcely had Solomon became king when he began to 
make preparations for carrying out the pious designs of his 
father. And he asked for and received the assistence of the 
two Hirams, which are known in Masonry as Hiram, King 
of Tyre, and Hiram Abiff. 



126 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

The building was constantly under construction until it 
was completed and Solomon then made great preparations for a 
solemn celebration. 

He had the Ark brought in from the King's house where 
it had been deposited and after the whole had been completed. 

It would be well if we could end Solomons life here at 
the completion of the wondrous and magnificent temple erect- 
ed to the worship of Jehovah. There, all historians lament 
the after chapters of the great King's life which is sad; that 
great mind so full of wisdom and magnanimity, so full of the* 
spirit of God. To us it seems almost incomprehensible that 
he could have so fallen away as to even give his consent to 
the erection of a temple devoted to Idolatry looking down on 
that very edifice which he had spent so much time and money 
in building and had been so solemnly dedicated to the worship 
of Jehovah. Alas for the perversity of the human mind. 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 127 



CHAPTER XIX. 

We are informed through history, and are inclined to be- 
lieve that Solomon sorely and deeply repented and obtained 
forgiveness for his unwarranted act. 

So will it be with thee my reader and my brother; If after 
you have espoused the cause of true wisdom, if you now be- 
long to the mystic tie which surely teaches the fatherhood of 
God and the brotherhood of men, if you backslide and deny the 
faith that you claim to have in God, when you said your trust 
was in God, then, like Solomon of old, you have departed 
from the faith and are away on the mountain of sin and folly. 

Should such be the case we say return, return to God, 
who is merciful to the backslider, return to your first love, 
remember that the wages of sin is death. If you continue 
you shall forever die, and you will never be able to meet youi 
brethren in the Grand Lodge above where the supreme archi- 
tect shall as grand and supreme master preside. 

As Solomon said after he had been away from God, revel- 
ling in the haunts of sin and vice— and then thanks to God'> 
goodness, and the time when he held communion with God- 
he made this exclamation after he had summed up the nature 
and value of earth's attractions and pleasures in the emphatic 
and comprehensive words : "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity." 



128 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

So it will be with you. If after you have once said God 
is true and you have enlisted in the cause of God and Human- 
ity, and you should turn away like Solomon and Ephraham of 
old you will when death comes, say "Vanity of vanities, all i : 
vanity.'^ 

If you, my reader, if you my brother have done this, 
let me implore you to return to our God who will have mercy 
and abundantly pardon you. 

There is a number of brethren, members in good standing 
known as good fellows; they take the name of God in vain; 
they gamble and occasionally became intoxicated; they say 
that they believe in Masonry; they attend lodge and they 
will contribute to the widow's support and the orphan's; they 
pay their debts and do not cheat their neighbor, and are known 
as good citizens in the community in which they reside; they 
observe and obey the law of their country with the above ex- 
ception. They do not talk about their neighbors nor do they 
engage in the gossip of the neighborhood. Are they entitled 
to be classed as coming within the word "wiser," as the word 
is used by Masons ? 

We must answer, no. My brother, we want to be chari- 
table with you; we desire to give you all the privileges that 
we can and be honest with you, honest with ourselves and, 
above all we want to be honest with God. 

Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: "The same came to 
Jesus by night and said unto him, 'Father we know that thou 
art a teacher come from God for no man can do these miracles 
that thou dost except God be with him.^ 'Jesus answered 
and said unto him, verily, verily I say unto thee, except a 
man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.'^ Nico- 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASOKRY. 129 

demus answered and said unto him : "How can a man be born 
when he is old? Can he enter the second time unto his 
mother^s womb and be born ?" "Jesus answered^ verily, verily 
I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the spirit 
he cannot enter into the kingdom of God ; That which is bom 
of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is 
spirit; marvel not that I say unto you, ye must be born 
again. The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest 
the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cameth and 
wither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the spirit.'^ 
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, how can these things 
be? "Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master 
in Israel and knowest not these things ? "Verily, verily I say 
unto thee, we speak that we do know, and testify that we have 
seen and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you 
earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell 
you of Heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to 
Heaven but he that came down from Heaven, even the son of 
man which is in Heaven; and as Moses lifted up the serpent 
in the wilderness so must the Son of Man be lifted up. That 
whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have Eternal 
life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begot- 
ten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish 
but have everlasting life.^^ 

"For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the 
world but that the world through Him might be saved. He 
that believeth on Him is not condemned but he that believeth 
not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the 
name of the only Begotten Son of God." (Third chapter of 
John to the 18th verse.) 



130 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

My dear reader, this is the Law; these are the words of 
the Savior of the world, the only name given among men 
whereby we can he saved ; and if you want to be "wiser^' Mas- 
•onically and be a member of the Supreme Grand Lodge above 
you must comply with God's law. 

Remember, my brother, we did not make this law; God 
made it and because we belong to the Lodge that fact will not 
save us. You must seek first the kingdom of God and all these 
things will be added. It is the only way. My brother, let me 
•earnestly ask you in the name of Him that said let there be 
light, and there was light — to ask and ye shall receive; seek 
•and ye shall find ; knock and it shall be opened unto you that 
JOM shall have part in the first resurrection on which the sec- 
ond death hath no power. 

If you possess any of the habits that I mentioned, ask the 
Lord, and he will help you to divest yourself of all the super- 
fluities and sins of this life, thereby fitting }^ur body for 
that spiritual kingdom that was not made with hands, Eternal 
in the Heavens. Let us implore you to do this, my brother. 

There are another class of brethren that are not possessed 
'of nor troubled with the habits before mentioned. They are 
Knight Templars and belong to the shrine. They are finan- 
'Cially well to do; they attend banquets and large masonic 
gatherings; they like nice uniforms, fine dinners and high 
times ; they do not take the name of the Lord in vain ; they do 
not get drunk ; they are good citizens ; they are known as good 
moral men. They are attentive toward the sick but they 
like the good things of this life ; they have not, as a little child 
sought forgiveness of God; they have never been born again; 
they do not pray to God as a child whose sins have been for- 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 131 

given. Be not deceived, my brother, God is not mocked. 
"Whatsoever a man sows that he shall reap; if ye sow to the 
flesh ye shall of the flesh reap corruption. If your delight is 
in the things of this world you cannot expect to get to Heaven. 
Your delight must be in the Law of the Lord, and in it 
you must meditate both day and night." 

This may seem hard my brother, and you may think that 
we would deprive you of the good things and pleasures of this 
life. No, my brother, you are mistaken; we would have you 
possessed of the good things of this life which are necessary 
to your comfort and happiness but we must remind you that 
we have only quoted God^s law. We did not make this law. 
Jesus Christ announced the law and we concede it to be a just 
law and wise; and if we care to walk the gold paved streets 
of the New Jerusalem there is no other way given among men 
whereby we can do it except we are born of the water and the 
spirit. Our prayer is, my brother, that each of you see to 
this all important matter, for how shall you escape if you neg- 
lect so great a salvation. 

Worldly vanity: Job 5th chapter, 13th verse: "Is not 
my soul in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me?" 11th 
chapter, 12th verse. "For vain man would be wise though 
man be born like a wild asses colt." Proverbs, 3rd chapter, 
7th verse. "Be not wise in thine own eyes ; fear the Lord and 
depart from evil." Ecc. 2nd chapter, 3rd verse. "I sought in 
my heart to give myself unto wine yet acquainting mine heart 
with wisdom, and to lay hold on folly until I might see what 
was good for the sons of men which they should do under the 
Heaven all the days of their life." 

Isaah 15th chapter, 21st verse: "Woe unto them that 



132 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight." 
Jeremiah 8th chapter, 9th verse. "The wise men are asham- 
ed; they are dismayed and lo, they have rejected the word of 
the Lord and what wisdom is in them." Mathew, 11th chap- 
ter, 25th verse. "At that time Jesus came and said I thank 
thee, 0, Lord of Heaven and of earth because thou hast hid 
these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed 
them unto babes." I Cor. 1st chapter 17th verse. "For 
Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the gospel, not with 
wisdom of words lest the cross of Christ should be m'ade of 
none effect." We add the following verses; they are beautifal. 
"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolish- 
ness, but unto us which are saved is the power of God ; For it is 
written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring tc 
nothing the understanding of the prudent." "Where is the 
wise? Where are the scribes? Where are the disputers of 
this world?" "For after that in the wisdom of God the 
world by wisdom knoweth not God. It pleased God by the 
foolish of preaching to save them that believed." "For the 
Jews require a sign and the Greeks seek after wisdom, but 
we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block 
and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are 
called both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the 
wisdom of God." 2nd chapter, 4th verse. "And my speech 
and my preaching was not with enticing words of men's wis- 
dom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power." 3rd 
chapter, 19th verse. "For the wisdom of this world is fool- 
ishness with God; for it is written he taketh the wise in their 
craftiness." Second Cor. 1st chapter, 12th verse. "For our 
rejoicing is this the testimony of our conscience ; that in sim- 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 133 

plicity and Godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom hut hy the 
Grace of God, we have had onr conversation in the world and 
more abundantly to your word." 

James, 3rd chapter, 15th verse. ^"^This wisdom descend- 
eth not from above but is earthly, sensual and devilish." 

Go with us back to Genesis, 3rd chapter, and 6th verse 
as follows : ^^And when the woman saw that the tree was good 
favored and that it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree that 
was desired to make one wise, she broke of the fruit thereof 
and did eat and gave also unto her husband with her and he did 
eat." 

Wise men from the east: Matthew, 2nd chapter, 1st 
verse. "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, 
in the days of Herod the king beheld there came wise men 
from the east to Jerusalem, saying, where is he that is born 
King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east and 
are come to worship him." 

This dear reader, this is the evidence from the book of 
the law the great light in Masonry that we offer to you to sup- 
port our contention that the word "wiser" or "wise" means, 
Masonically, that its votaries should become followers of the 
Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. We ask 
you to thoroughly examine this word as it is applied to this 
subject and we are convinced that you will be forced to the 
conclusion that we are right that the word can only be correctly 
used in this sense and that Masons throughout the world that 
desire the true work of Masonry, that expect and desire to be 
members of the Grand Lodge above after they have ceased to 
be members of the lodge here below, must seek the kingdom 
of God ; and then we have the promise of the life that now is, 



134 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

and that which is to come. Will you do it my reader and my 
brother ? 

We have undertaken to establish this fact from the Bible 
for the reason that Free Masonry is founded on the Bible, its 
teachings are contained in the Bible ; all its ceremonies, types, 
symbols and its tenets are all contained in the Bible. 

For this reason 'we have used the Bible as a witness and 
we are satisfied that the witness is truthful and if you will 
only examine it prayerfully it will prove a present help in every 
time of need. And its Author has said, "no good thing will 
be withheld from you.'^ Do you believe this, my brother? 
If you do not you have not gotten the right idea of Free 
Masonry. 

"Search the scriptures for in them ye think ye have Eter- 
nal life, and they are they which testify of me.^' John, 5th 
chapter, 39th verse. 

This is Jesus Christ's own language. 

I leave this word "wiser" with you hoping that you will 
give it and the evidence introduced to support it your prayer- 
ful consideration. 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 135 



CHAPTEE XX. 

This brings ns to the word, "happier." In the common 
acceptance of this word it means in a more pleasant frame 
of mind than one had heretofore been in ; that one h in a more 
pleasant frame of mind ; better pleased about the things of this 
world, is the worldly meaning of the word. But what does 
the word mean as it is used in Free Mr-sonry, or more properly 
speaking, what does the word mean as it is used in the Bible. 
It certainly is correct to put the same construction on the 
word and language used in the book of the Law. If this posi- 
tion is correct, and we think it is, we shall give the references 
as they are used in the Bible. 

Deuteronomy, chapter 33, verse 29 : "Happy art thou. 
Oh, Israel ; Who is like unto thee, 0, people, saved by the Lord, 
the shield of thy help and who is the sword of thy excellency ; 
and thy enemies shall be found liars unto thee and thou shalt 
tread upon their high places." 

This is the first reference and we think it is in point ; Sav- 
ed by the Lord, and when one is saved by the Lord he is 
supremely happy. 

Job, chapter 5th verse 17th. "Behold, happy is the man 
whom God correcteth, therefore despise not the chastening of 
the Almighty." This verse bears out our construction of the 
word and the prober construction of the word. Psalms, chap- 



136 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

ter 127, verse 3. "Happy is the man that hath his quiver full 
of them ; they shall speak with the enemies in the gate." The 
Lord is speaking of children in this verse and seeks to convey 
the idea that people or persons are happy that have a num- 
ber of children. 

Psalms, chapter 144, verse 15. "Happy is that people 
that is in such a case; yea, happy is that people whose G-od 
is the Lord." This verse is in point beyond question and 
we think settles this question that the word happy or happier 
means that to enjoy the word as the meaning of the word, you 
must first seek the kingdom of God and obtain fellowship with 
Jesus Christ our Savior and Eedeemer. Any thing short 
of this and you fail my brother to receive the happiness that is 
in ir'tore for you, and the right to become a member of that su- 
preme lodge above where you shall be happy throughout the 
never ending ages of Eternity; for Christ Jesus has said; 
"Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I 
will give you rest." "Take my yoke upon you and learn of me 
and I will give rest to your soul ; for my yoke is easy and my 
burden is light." This is true happiness and nothing short 
of this will make its votaries happier ; nothing but a full par- 
don of all our sins will entitle you to a home in Heaven. This 
you can only receive by doing God's will and he has said. "Ex- 
cept ye be converted and become as little children ye can in no 
wise enter into the kingdom of Heaven." Do you want this 
happiness, my brother? If you do, come and confess your 
sins to God and he will give you a right to membership here 
and a home in the Grand Lodge above. Come, my brother, 
serve him, you will be happier here and in the world to come. 

We continue Psalms, 146, verse 5. "Happy is he that 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 137 

hath the G-od of Jacob for his help; whose hope is in the 
Lord his God." We add the remainder of the chapter, it is eio 
appropriate. Verse 6th. "Which made heaven and earth, the 
sea and all that thereupon is; which keepeth truth forever: 
Which executeth judgment for the oppressed; which giveth 
food to the hungry; The Lord looseth the prisoners: The 
Lord openeth the eye of the blind: The Lord raiseth them 
that are bowed down : The Lord loveth the righteous. The 
Lord preserveth the strangers, he relieveth the fatherless and 
widows, but the way of the wicked he turneth up side down." 

"The Lord shall reign forever, eVen thy God, Zion unto 
all generations praise ye the Lord." 

This is my idea of what the word ^Tiappier^' means in 
Masonry and nothing short of this will make you, my brother, 
a full and complete Master Mason in the full meaning of the 
word. Do not be content with any thing less than this. 

Proverbs, 3rd chapter, 13th verse: "Happy is the man 
that findeth wisdom and the man that getteth understanding." 
True wisdom this means. What is true wisdom? In our 
judgment it is in being wise unto salvation for the happiness 
of this world cannot last. This is not our abiding place. We 
are only here for a short time ; this world is not our home ; We 
want a home in Heaven in the Grand Lodge above where he 
has prepared a place for true brethren and all who love and 
serve him will be happier here and in the world to come." 

Proverbs, chapter 14th, verse 21. "He that despisetb 
his neighbor sinneth, but he that hath mercy on the poor, hap- 
py is he. Christ said while on earth, the poor ye have al- 
ways with you, but me ye have not always with you. I go to 
prepare a place for you, that where I am ye may be also." 



138 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

Proverbs, 28t]i chapter, 14th verse. "Happy is the mau 
that feareth always but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall 
into mischief.^^ 

John, 13th chapter, 17th verse. "If ye know these thing.s 
happy are ye if ye do them.'' Eomans 14th chapter, 22nd 
verse reads as follows : "Hast thou faith ? Have it to thyself 
before God. Happier is he that condemneth not himself for 
that he alloweth." 1st Peter, chapter 5, verse 11. "Behold, 
we count them happy which endures : Ye have heard of the 
patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord, that the 
Lord is very pitiful and of wondrous mercy." Also 3rd chap- 
ter and 14th verse : "But if ye suffer for righteousness sake, 
happy are ye, be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled/' 
1st Peter, 4th chapter and 14th verse which is the last that we 
will quote from the Bible on this subject or on the word, and is 
as follows : "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ hap- 
py are ye for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you : 
on their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorifi- 
ed." And this reminds us of what we have heard many of the 
brethren say, that some of the brethren are two contentious 
and too particular about taking the name of God in vain. 

My brother and my reader, can this be ? Eemember that 
the brother that urges you not to swear or take the name of 
God in vain is your brother and your friend and companion. 
He is only whispering words of counsel and trying to persuade 
you to cease from erring ; he has your welfare at heart. 

He has his instructions to do this and he ought to do it, 
and you ought to thank him for doing his duty ; for it has been 
written: "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 139^ 

God in vain/' and again it has been written : "Swear not at 
all for thou canst not make one hair white or black." Then 
my brother if you have been in the habit of swearing, for 
your own sake and your neighbor and family's sake, quit; cease 
to do evil and learn to do well; refrain from swearing for 
the sake of the order and the good of the universe ; for unless 
you do this you will never, masonically speaking, be better, 
wiser and happier. This you must do if you want a home in 
that spiritual building, that house not made with hands. Eter- 
nal in the Heavens. 

This is the meaning of the above three words as we under- 
stand them; and yet we are not satisfied with what we have- 
said about them and about their meaning. We have only 
commented on them as they have been used in the Bible. 

Do not misunderstand us on this point; we think the 
Bible definitions are the true and correct ones. 

But there are members of the fraternity that are Moham- 
edens, Buddhists and of many other religious persuasions that 
do not look at this question in the same light that we do and 
for that reason we now propose to give the definitions given 
by other writers and Masons that have spoken and written on 
this subject after which we will make our final comment. 

We first will give the object of Free Masonry as the same 
is laid down in the 15th volume of the constitution of Free 
Masonry, commencing on page 50. The writer asserts that the 
templars formed themselves into a band or secret organization 
and that said order defended the Christians under the aus- 
pices and protection of the Catholic Church, and that they 
were protected by the church and were builders; that they 
were given the right to erect all the large edifices, and after- 



140 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

i;he establishment of the Kelwinning and York lodges the prin- 
ciples of Free Masonry were rapidly diffused throughout both 
kingdoms. 

In order that the reader may understand this it is neces- 
sary that we refer to Page 54 of the same volume: "That 
Free Masonry was introduced by those Architects who buili 
the Abbey of Kelwinning is manifest for the reason that 
the existence of the Kelwinning lodge has been traced back 
as far as the end of the fifteenth century, but by other col- 
lected arguments which amount almost to a certainty. In 
every country where the temporal and spiritual jurisdiction 
of the Pope was acknowledged there was a continual demand, 
particularly during the twelfth century, for religious struc- 
tures and consequently for operative Masonry, proportional to 
the number of the inhabitants and the opulence of their eccles- 
iastical establishments, and there was no kingdom in Europe 
-where the zeal of the inhabitants for popery was more intent; 
where the king and nobles were more liberal to the clergy; 
and where, as a result the church was more richly endowed 
than in Scotland. The demand therefore for elegant Cathre- 
drals and ingenious artists must have been proportionately 
greater than in other countries and that element could be sup- 
plied only from the trading associations on the continent. 

When we consider in addition to these facts that this as- 
sociation monopolized the building of religious structures in 
Chrisendom, we are authorized to conclude that those num- 
erous and elegant ruins which still adorn the villages of Scot- 
land were erected by foreign Masons who introduced into the 
island the customs of their order. 

It was probably about this time that Free Masonry was 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 141 

introduced into England. We now return and find that sev- 
eral lodges were erected in different parts of the Island, and all 
these derived their authority from the two Mother lodges ; they 
were like-wise under their jurisdiction and control and when 
any diJfferences arose which were connected with the art of 
building they were referred to the general meetings 
of the fraternity which were always held at Kelwinning or- 
York. 

In this manner did Free Masonry flourish in Britian 
while it is claimed it was abolished in every other part of the 
world and even here it was doomed to suffer a long and ser- 
ious decline and to experience those alternate successions of ad- 
vancement and decay which mark the history of every human 
institution. And during several centuries after this the 
brethren of the order held those public meetings. There was 
a time when they were prohibited from meeting by legislative 
enactment. 

It cannot be said to have attracted general attention until 
the beginning of the 17th century. The cause of this remark- 
able retardation which the progress of Masonry experienced is 
by no means difficult to discover. 

In consequence of the important privileges which the art 
received from the church at Rome many chose the profession 
of an architect which, though at all times an honorable em- 
ployment was particularly in the hightest request during the 
middle ages. 

On this account the body of operative Masons increased to 
such a degree and the rage as well as the necessity of reli- 
gious edifices was so much diminished that a more than 
sufficient number of hands could, at any time be procured for 



142 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

supplying the demands of the church and of pious individuals ; 
and as there was no scarcity of architects the very reason which 
prompted the church to protect the fraternity no longer ex- 
isted. They therefore withdrew from their patronage those 
favors which they had hithertofore given to them and denied 
them even the liberty of holding their secret meetings, a right 
that they had. that was given to all men by God himself to 
every human being. 

But these were not the only causes that produced such a 
striking change in the conduct of the church to the Masonic 
order. We have already mentioned that the spirit of Free 
Masonry was hostile to the principles of the church at Rome. 
The intention of the one was to enlighten the mind, the ob- 
ject and policy of the other to retain it in ignorance. When 
Free Masonry flourished the power of the church must have 
decayed. The jealousy of the latter was therefore aroused 
and as the civil power in England and Scotland was almost al- 
ways in the hands of ecclesiastics the church and the state were 
both combined against the principles and practices of Free 
Masonry. 

Along with these causes the domestic and bloody war^ 
which convulsed the two kingdoms from the thirteenth to the 
seventeenth century conspired in a great degree to produce that 
decline of the fraternity for which wc have been attempting 
to account. 

Notwithstanding these unfavorable circumstances Free 
Masonry seems to have flourished and attracted the attention 
of the public in the reign of Henry Sixth, who when a minor 
ascended the throne of England in 1422. 



THE OBJECT OF FKEE MASONRY. 143 

In the third year of his reign, indeed the parliament 
passed a severe act against the fraternity at the instigation 
<3|f Henry Beauford, bishop of Winchester who was then 
entrusted with the education of the young king. 

They enacted the law that the Masons should no longer 
hold their chapters and annual assemblies; that those who 
summoned such chapters and assemblies should be considered 
-as felons; and that those who resorted to them should be 
fined and imprisoned. But it would appear that this act was 
never put in force, for in the year 1439 about five years after 
it was formed a respectable lodge was held at Canterbury under 
the patronage of the Archbishop himself. When King Henry 
was able to take into his own hands the government of his own 
kingdom and to form an opinion of his own respecting the use 
and tendency of the Masonic fraternity, in order to atone for 
the rigorous conduct of his parliament he not only permitted 
the order to hold their meetings without molestation but hon- 
ored the lodges by his presence as a brother. Before he was 
initiated into the mysteries of the order he seemed to have ex- 
amined with scrupulous care, the nature of the institution 
and to have perused the charges and regulations of the frater- 
nity as collected from their ancient records. These facts ar^j 
contained in the reign of his successor, Edward IV., and con- 
firmed by a manuscript in King Henry^s own handwriting." 

We have referred to this volume and copied some of it for 
the purpose of showing the great struggle Free Masonry had. 
It was first fostered and cared for by the Catholic church, 
then hated, ridiculed and oppressed, and now as you know, the 
(.Catholic church does not allow its members to be made 
Masons, and the Pope or Great Bishop has issued an order 



144 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

to that effect yet some few of them belong to the order or 
fraternity. 

You see this writer says that the intention of Free- 
Masonry is to enlighten the mind; if he had said that it did 
enlighten the mind I would have agreed with him; but he 
holds out the idea that this is the object and upon that prop- 
osition I cannot agree with him. It certainly has a higher 
object than this. What the writer in this 15th volume means 
is, one of the results of becoming a member of the fraternity, 
but Free Masonry has a higher object. 

The object is not only to make one wiser but it is to pre- 
pare the body for that spiritual building that house not made 
with earthly hands, but that mansion that has been prepared 
by Jesus Christ for all those that love and serve him. 



THE OBJECT OF FEEE MASONRY. 145 



CHAPTEK XXI. 

We will now consider Masonry as the same is looked at by 
other prominent Masons in other ages and will give what they 
claim to be the object of Free Masonry; and we will comment 
on the same. 

McCoy says of the object of Masonry. "The blessings cl 
a success and the knowledge of a virtuous life and its ad- 
vancement have ever been the object of Free Masonry. ^^ 

This is claimed to be the object of the order by Dr. McCoy 
and we admit that Brother McCoy is an eminent writer and 
has written many valuable works on Free Masonry and he 
has been a source of shedding much light on Free Masonry ; 
but we do not like his definition of the object of Free Ma- 
sonry — and allow us to say we are not finding fault witli Dr. 
McCoy or any other writer because we can find fault; or for 
the purpose of detracting from the many good things he or 
others have written on this subject, but we now propose to 
throw the search-light of investigation on what he as well as- 
others have said on the subject and will now attempt to ana- 
lyze the words used by him and give their definition. 

"The blessings of success and the knowledge of a virtu- 
ous lif e.^' Does it mean, the very fact that a person belongs to 
the fraternity gives him success and if it does what kind of 
success? We claim that it does not insure success in any 



146 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

line. It is true that if the brother lives up to its teachings 
:and to his obligations it is bound to afford him success. Thi^s 
may have been the thought that the writer had but the asser- 
tion is too sweeping, indefinite and uncertain, for the casual 
reader may not criticise or scrutinize the meaning of the word 
as he should and thus fail to see what we believe to be the real 
object of Free Masonry. 

The knowledge of a virtuous life is a good term to use, and 
may or may not be a good term to use. If one lives a virtuous 
life he has run the race of a good Free and Accepted Mason 
for this is the end to be attained by all good men more espe- 
<;ially a brother Mason, but the brother has in our judgment 
failed to mark the road that a brother has to travel to get 
"the prize of the high calling as it is in Christ Jesus. 

The statement, again we claim, is sweeping, for my dear 
reader there is only one road to travel that will lead you to a 
proper destination. Be fair and admit this for if you do not 
now, the time will come with you and with me and all others 
"that we will all be compelled to admit it ; then before it is too 
late let me implore you to admit it now and not only admit it 
hut ask the Lord to pardon your sins now. He is the only 
•one that can do it and if you ask in earnest, in good faith he 
"will do it. He says he will and "whatsoever he saith that he 
will do." His promises are sure and steadfast and will not be 
broken for you or for me, and if we sin away our day of 
grace we will be lost ; forever lost ; and you and I will never set 
in the grand l(5dge above in the New Jerusalem. This may 
seem to be too plain to suit most readers but we think not; 
•at least we have said it and cannot afford to take it back or 
inodifv it in the least. 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 147 

AgaiL. Dr. Oliver in McCoy dictionary claims that one 
of the objects of Free Masonry is for the member to erect 
a theological ladder upon which his spirit may ascend to 
Heaven, and we rather like this. The spirit ascending and 
descending on Jacobus ladder is a pleasing thought. 

If any or all of the brethren would construct this ladder, 
if only theoretically, he would find his mind properly im.- 
ployed, yea, more, this is one of the grandest thoughts that 
should come unto ones mind. 

Heaven and its location is a place of happiness ; the streets 
are paved with gold as it were transparent glass; and such a 
country as that is a desirable country to think of ; and then to 
think of constructing a ladder that would reach from this 
terrestral to that celestial country, is grand and sublime. The 
distance that the ladder would necessarily have to be in 
length and strength to reach to that far away country, yet so 
desirable and so sought after, as it should be ; for it is the only 
country that is worth looking after. To have a right to a 
home in that country is one of the most valuable rights that 
one can possess. 

I hope that this may be sought after by all brethren for 
we assure you if any person seeks this home in the right 
way he will be able to obtain it for the Book of the Law says 
so, and when you find the Bible saying a thing is so you can de- 
pend on the statement as being true; if not then the whole 
fraternity is builded on a sandy foundation and all your time 
and money is lost ; but such is not the case ; the Bible is true ; 
Free Masonry is an established institution and one of the 
grandest among the children of men ; and Heaven is a reality. 



148 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

the home of the just or we should say a place where the spirita 
of just men are made perfect. (Glorious thought.) 

Then my brother go and build you a theological ladder 
in your minds eye; build it strong and of sufficient length to 
reach all the way from earth to Heaven; and then be sure to 
live that when the scythe of time comes a long and calls for 
you, that you can go up the ladder to the Grand lodge above 
where all is peace; all is pure; all is joy forever and forever. 

We hope that this may be your lot; do you my brother? 
We pray for you and ask you to pray for us that this may 
be vouchsafed to each of us. 

Hemming says of Free Masonry : "That it is 'a beautiful 
system represented by allegories and symbols." The reader 
will see that this has reference more particularly to the work 
and ceremonies that the candidate is required to go through 
than it does to the object of Free Masonry, and as far as it 
goes we agree with Brother Hemming that the symbols and 
teachings of Free Masonry are grand; the language is elegant 
and the ceremonies appropriate and we do not hesitate to 
say that if the ceremonies that the candidate goes through do 
not make a grand impression on his mind, then he, the can- 
didate, is lost to all the tender sensibilities of man. 

The word Symmetry means beauty and we think it is cor- 
rectly used in connection with the fraternity; for we do not 
hesitate to say that the ceremonies are beautiful and when 
the candidate learns the work correctly and has the proper 
comprehension of the language used then he will see the sym- 
metry or beauty connected with the order. Unless he does this 
then he certainly has failed to grasp the grand ideas connected 
with the order for we assure you that the beauty is there; 



THE OBJECT OE EREE MASONRY. 149 

the magnificent plan is of long standing ; it has come down te- 
ns through the misty past. The Ark of the covenant has been 
in many historic countries through a long well connected line 
of patriarchs and holy men of old. It has survived and come 
through the dark ages. Its defenders have suffered persecu- 
tion and even death in its defense. Moses, Aholiab and Biza- 
leel were it advocates and its defenders, Abram was a strong 
advocate of all its principles; Solomon the wisest man of his 
day shaped and perfected many ornaments connected with 
the symmetry of the order. 

We might mention hundreds of others that have spent 
their whole lives in searching out the many symmetrical sen- 
tences connected with the order ; and Eoberts, Morris, Maekey, 
and Albert Pike of our own native land have spent much 
valuable time in fully establishing this as a fact that cannot 
be refuted. We leave this phrase and sentence for your con- 
sideration. 

We now give the language of an illustrious man of our 
own country, a Mason, a general and patriot, as follows: 
"The grand object of Free Masonry is to perpetuate the hap- 
piness of the human race." George Washington. 

What shall we say of this statement ? We ask the reader 
to think of this and the source from whence it came. We ad- 
mit the statement to be correct and pointed and no doubt to the 
casual reader it seems to be all there is to Free Masonry, but 
the statement is too sweeping for the subject. 

The subject is an important one. It is a grand one; 
it is a magnificent one. It is a subject that kings, that gen- 
erals, that statesmen, that the best and wisest men of all ages 
of nearly all countries have been its advocates and its pro- 



150 THE OBJECT OF FEEE MASONRY. 

moters ; and we assert that the grandest reason for this is that 
it advocates the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of 
man. Another and, we think, equally as good and great is 
that every word, every sylable every symbol and character are 
contained in the Bible and must be learned from that book 
or from some one that has learned it from the Bible. 

"To perpetuate the happiness of the human race'^ as- 
sumes that the human race is happy which might be questioned 
for we learn that the human race in its fallen condition is 
not happy, and cannot be until it is restored to the position 
it occupied before Adam and Eve fell from their primeval 
sphere or position. Is this position correct? We maintain 
that it is; and if we are correct let us amend the statement; 
for allow us to state and urge that this is too grave a question 
to be misconstrued ; too much depends upon it to the human 
family and the greatest danger is that the statement coming 
from so great a character as George Washington — the state- 
ment will be taken as announcing the correct object of all the 
workings of Free Masonry. 

We offer the following amendment to the statement: The 
grand object of Free Masonry is to place its members in the 
position they occupied before the fall of Adam and Eve, and to 
aid all those parties that become members of the order and to 
perpetuate their happiness here on earth and to assist th.eni to 
become members of the Grand or Supreme Lodge above. 

"But'' says the reader, "I do not like your amendment, 
it is too long.'' Well my dear reader, if it is not correct yod 
do not have to believe it and now we propose to analyze tho 
two statements and get at the real meaning of the language 
used in each case and the logical result of the two statements. 



THE OBJECT OF FEEE MASONRY. 151 

Free Masonry, itself cannot promote anything and the in- 
dividual Mason cannot do anything and as a logical conclusion 
if the individual Mason cannot do anything a combination of 
Masons can do no more. "But" says the reader, "you are 
technical?" We do not desire to be. We want to get at the 
true light in this as well as eyevy other case, and we pray 
the Lord in whom we all trust to show us the light and to 
assist us to make it plain enough that others may see it as 
it is, there can be no question; but when our brother as- 
sumes that the human race is happy we assert that there is no 
way to perpetuate a person or combination of persons in a 
condition that he or they occupy unless they occupy and pos- 
sess the thing referred to and we do not hesitate to say that 
man in his fallen condition is not in a state of happiness. 

Now how can he get out of that condition? Can he 
do it by becoming a Mason ? We say no. Admitting that the 
member complies with his obligations and lives up to the let- 
ter of the by-laws, that he even visits the widow and orphan 
and assists them in distress ; all this is not enough. But, says 
the reader, we differ with you. Very well, my dear reader, you 
have a right to differ with me, but you are not only differing 
with me but you are differing with him who said — "In the 
beginning God created the Heavens and the earth; and the 
earth was void and without form, and God said let there be 
light, and there was light" — and that same God said that all 
men have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Again 
he says that the very desires of the hearts of men are to do 
wickedly as the sparks fly upwardly ; for by Adam^s trangres- 
sion and his violation of the Law the whole human race fell 



152 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

and are, and have been dead since that day. Is this true or 
false? We assert that it is true and now propose to prove it. 

First we will refer to the case of the man that said to 
Christ: "Good master, what good thing shall I do to be 
saved.'' Christ told him what he must do, and he answered : 
"All these things have I kept from my youth up.'' Here is a 
party that complied with the letter of the Law all his life. 
What did Christ say to him ? He said, "Then go and sell all 
thou hast and give it to the poor and take up your cross and 
follow me." What was the result? Did he do it? No, he 
went away sorrowing for he had great possessions. 

John, chapter 1, verse 13 reads as follows : "Which were 
born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of 
man but of God." . Also see John, chapter 3, verse 3, as fol- 
lows : "Verily, verily I say unto thee except a man be born 
again he cannot see the kingdom of God." 

First Peter, chapter 1, verse 23 : "Being bom aii'ain not 
of corruptable seed but of incorr up table, by the word of God 
which liveth and abideth forever." 

"For all flesh is as grass, and all glory of man as the flow- 
er of grass withereth and the flower thereof faileth forever, but 
the word of the Lord endureth forever." This is taken from 
the book of the law and all the members throughout the civil- 
ized world have seen this book and have professed faith in its 
contents as the law that should govern them in all their future 
transactions with mankind. 

Then, my dear brother it is no use of trying to dodge this 
question. If you want to reign with Christ above and be 
a member in the Supreme Lodge above you must be born 
again and then run the race with patience, ever looking; unto 
Him as the author and finisher of your salvation. 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 153 

With this criticism we leave the statement made by our 
illustrious brother for your meditation and consideration. At 
the same time that we may be understood we say again we do 
not do this with any sinister motive in view and we could not if 
we desire, for the reason Gen. George Washington in this coun- 
try always stands, first in war, first in peace and first in the 
hearts of his countrymen ; he is entitled to this ; but the idea 
lives. But we must say that ideas contained in his state- 
ment are too general, the statement is beautiful and is liable 
to catch most of the brethren and the public. I here restate 
the object that it is that you may not be deceived and ma}' not 
be misled as to what we consider the true object of Free "Ma- 
sonry, and this we are going to do against any statement made 
by any person, and submit the proposition to a candid thinking 
world. We hope that you will prayerfully think of, and medi- 
tate over this for the object of Free Masonry is all there is in it 
with the exception of what little pleasure there is here below. 

We now call your attention to our amendment to Brother 
Washington's statement and we here repeat the substance of 
the amendment. 

"The grand object of Free Masonry is to place man in the 
position he occupied before the fall and to perpetuate his hap- 
piness here and to assist him to get to Heaven where he will 
be a member of the Supreme Lodge forever T' 

We think this is better. Study this proposition; study 
it conscientiously, for on this depends your future happiness, 
your future welfare, your future home. Let me again implore 
you to prayerfully consider this subject though the Bible says 
^^much study is a weariness of the flesh." Let us hear the 



154 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

whole conclusion: "Fear God and Keep his commandment 
for this is the whole duty of man." 

Now my brother, what we fear in the case of two many of 
the brethren is that somebody has intimated to yon that Free 
Masonry is a good thing and that its members have a good time 
and out of some curiosity you send in your name and peti- 
tion. You are a moral man and have paid your debts and the 
time comes for your petition to be acted on and you are elected 
and initiated, passed and raised you think the language beauti- 
ful and you are fairly well pleased and now you are a Master 
Mason in good standing. 

Is this all you have done; are you satisfied? Do you 
remember this language, "to divest your mind and conscience 
of all the superfluities of life thereby fitting your body for 
that spiritual building, that house not made with hands. 
Eternal in the Heavens." Have you committed this to mem- 
ory ? Do you underdstand the meaning of this statement ? Do 
you want this place as a home ? If you do, live right ; prepare 
for it and then live for it. 

But really, this is not exactly what we started to say; 
We started to say that there are so many of the brethren that 
join the lodge, then commit as little of the work as possible 
and only attend on important occasions, such as election. 
Knight festivals and so on and this ends the information that 
so many receive ; and are you satisfied, my brother ? If you 
are you have come short of the glory of Masonry. 

Let us persuade you to go and make you calling and 
election sure; you can only do this by becoming in spirit as 
helpless as a little child ; east your care on Jesus and don't for- 
get to pray, for if you do and earnestly repent of your sins. 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 155- 

he is faithful to forgive, and will aid you to run the race pat- 
iently to the end and you will win the prize. 

This amendment of ours contemplates this ; nothing more 
and nothing less will save you and make a true Mason as the 
same was contemplated by the founders of the order. There 
is another class that are raw and uncouth; they act just the 
same as they did before they were made masons; they talk 
all kinds of vulgar talk; they use profane language, they en- 
gage in all the worldly practices that they did before they 
were made Masons ; and they have not learned to subdue any of 
their passions, nor have they tried, nor do they try to keep 
themselves unspotted from the world. 

My dear brother, do you expect to become a member of 
the Supreme Lodge above, that Lodge which will be presided 
over by God the father, and God the son ? If you do on what 
promise contained in the Bible, the book of the Law, do you 
expect to do it under? 

If you do^ write a book at once, if you have a plan that 
you can became a member of the Grand Lodge or Supreme 
Lodge above and can defend your plan on any reasonable hy- 
pothesis that you are willing to risk your soul in that final day, 
I say write a book and give your plan to the brethren; they 
would evidently like to read it, and they are entitled to it 
because, my dear brother, we do not desire to impose any task 
or burden on you that is not necessary in order that you may 
become a member of the Supreme Lodge above. 

But before you undertake such a task be sure that you are- 
right and then go ahead ; but my dear brother let me warn vou 
with all the solemnity at my command not to do it, it cannot 
be done; do not attempt to deceive yourself and others; study 



156 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

ihis quotation well. Study it in the light of the book of the 
Law : ^Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatsoever a 
man sows that shall he reap; if he sows to the flesh he shall 
oi the flesh reap corruption ; but if he sows to the spirit he shall 
of the spirit reap life everlasting." My Dear Brother, there 
is no other way for the Bible tells us so : "He that climbeth 
up any other way, the same is a thief and a robber.'^ 

Nor will you climb up any other way; for it has bee.i 
written: "There is no other way given among the children 
of men whereby you can be saved except in and through our 
Lord Jesus Christ :'' He has said, "I am the way and the 
light; he that comes to me I will in no wise turn aside." 

Then come my brother, come for you have no lease of 
life, come while it is called today for the night will come 
when no man can work. 

But you say, why are you m'aking such an effort ? Why 
are you disturbing me ? I am satisfied ; I am having a good 
pleasant time; I pay my debts; I live peaceably with all man- 
kind; I have good health and my family has good health; 
But my dear brother the old adage is "In time of peace prepare 
for war." Death will come along, no one knows how soon ; and 
call for you. The command is be ye also ready for it may be 
at midnight or early in the morning but it will come. You 
say, let it come ; I will be there ; we know you will be there ; 
you cannot be any other place; when God calls man must 
obey whether he be saint or sinner, rich or poor, black or 
white, king, prince or potentate, for there is no respect of 
persons with God. 

We hope that we have said enough to you, my brother, 
we hope that if you belong to this class of Masons you may 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 157 

profit by the few scattering suggestions we have made to yon 
for we assure you that they have been made in good faith with 
the very kindest of feelings, and they were not made for you 
unless you belong to this class of Masons. 

We know of our own knowledge that there are such for we 
have met them hence we know the necessity of making this 
argument; and we assure you this is made with the very 
kindest forbearence towards you and others; but we feel that 
the truth must be stated; that there is a growing need for 
it at this particular period in the worlds history when knowl- 
edge is increasing and when the fraternity is increasing at so 
rapid a rate and all is push and go. The entered appren- 
tice rushes through that he may be made a fellow craft, and 
the same thing is repeated until he is made a Master Mason;, 
then he sees the charm of the Eoyal Arch Mason worn by some 
brother; he is fascinated by it as he asks for a petition and iie 
makes application and is elected and takes the four degrees. 

You have made a mistake my brother, you are not well 
grounded in the three first degrees. 

You cease to pay much attention to the three first degrees 
— the bulwark of Masonry; you are still not satisfied with your 
lot; you see the charm of a Knight Templar on some brother 
and again you ask for a petition. You are elected and the de- 
grees of the Eed and Black cross are conferred on you and 
now you are a Knight Templar. You have made a mistake;, 
you have not learned the work in the four degrees that it takes 
to make a man a Eoyal Arch Mason; so you have been mak- 
ing one mistake after another by not learning the work of the 
Lower degrees before you advance to the Higher degrees. 

Now that the mistake is made you can only do the next: 



158 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

best thing and in our judgment it is to take each degree and 
■commit the work before you take the next or higher degree. 
Do this, my brother, and ever afterwards advise all that you 
come in contact with to learn the degrees before advancing 
to the higher degree. Study and see if this is not right. 

There i^ another class of Free Masons and it affords us no 
pleasure to criticise the acts of our brethren for we are all 
brethren; but my brother we are doing it on the ground that 
we believe it to be our duty to whisper good counsel in the 
ear of an erring brother. 

In this light we hope you will take it. They are the 
class known as the dress-parade class; they scarcely ever 
attend lodge; they are too tired or there is some party that 
their wives belong to and they have to go with them or they 
belong to a whist party and have to attend that. Any cause 
however trivial will keep them from the lodge. They gener- 
ally wear a large charm in a conspicuous place; they attend 
all the festivals; they like the front seat at all public places 
of the lodge; they are somewhat surprised if they are not on 
the committees, at least one of them. They know very little 
about the workings of Masonry. We doubt very much if 
they could get into the lodge on a fair examination ; but still 
we have this class and they are more numerous than you would 
think. They have joined Free Masonry for Free Masonry 
purposes, some of them; others for society purposes and all 
for sinister or selfish motives ; or in other words they want to 
shine in society. My dear brother, do you belong to this 
class? If you do come out from among them; you are on the 
road to distruction. You have failed to get one good last- 
ing thing connected with Free Masonry and this is not Ma- 



THE OBJECT OF FEEE MASONRY. 159 

sonry ; this is not its purpose among the children of men. If 
you have gone no further than this you have not learned your 
A B C^s in Masonry. You do not understand the entered ap- 
prentice degree; you want to commence at the beginning and 
study it letter by letter and word by word, and the character 
it represents and has represented. Do you belong to this 
class ? Eemember it has been said and correctly said ^Tie that 
humbleth himself shall be exalted." 

We said you had not learned your A B C^s in Free Ma- 
sonry and we meant it; you have not. There is something 
higher and nobler than that, which Free Masonry teaches. 
Do you remember a time when you were poor and pennilese 
and were informed how poor you really were? How helpless 
you really were and how dependent you were ? You have for- 
gotten this my brother. It was true then; it is true now. 
Make a full investigation into this my brother; it is for you 
to say whether you belong to this class, not for us to say. We 
judge no man. We have represented a certain class of per- 
sons by defining their actions and if the shoe fits you then I say 
you have missed the intention of Masonry and you ai'e in the 
condition of the prodigal son. You are living on the husks of 
Free Masonry; you are starving Masonically. Let me urge 
you to return to the fold at once in your father's house ; your 
Masonic house. There are many mansions there; still room 
in the Supreme Lodge above for you. - By this there is only 
one way that you can occupy it. You must do it yourself ; no 
one can do it for you; you must come boldly up to a throne of 
grace and ask the Lord to forgive your sins and he will do it; 
for allow me to say to you, you are in the galls of bitterness 
and on the bonds of iniquity. Delays are dangerous. Come 



160 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

while the lamp holds out to burn. The vilest sinner may re- 
turn. I do not mean that you belong to the vilest class of sin- 
ners, my brother, but you are in a lost condition ; you are dead 
in trespass and sin and nothing but the cleansing blood of 
Christ Jesus can save you. If you want to be saved apply 
to him and he will heal you and make you white as snow. 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 161 



CHAPTEE XXII. 

"We now quote from another eminent statesman as fol- 
lows: "Free Masonr}^ is an institution calculated to benefit 
man-kind." — Andrew Jackson. 

We agree with General Jackson and without much com- 
ment say that if Free Masonry does not benefit its members 
and each and every member then it is not the fault of Free 
Masonry but it is the fault of the member. Shall this be laid 
up against you my brother ? that you have stood and lingered 
at the lodge room late at night and listened to lectures and 
the obligations and have you watched the three degrees careful- 
ly and heard each lecture delivered to the candidate ? and have 
you taken an interest in the workings of the lodge for years, 
ray brother? And is it a fact that it has not made a better- 
man out of you? If this is true we feel like calling on the 
Lord to have mercy on you and we hope that if you never 
have done so before you will also do it if you chance to read 
this ; for we assure you that we have your salvation, your etern- 
al salvation at heart. 

Eemember my dear reader that the author of this, Gen. 
Jackson was at one timie a rough soldier, a man of wonderful 
ambition; the man that rolled up the cotton bales at New 
Orleans for breastworks and whipped Gen. Packinhams army ; 
the man that was twice president of the United States- The 



162 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY- 

man that said that he made one great mistake while he was 
president of the United States and that was that he did not 
hang John C. Calhoun. 

Now then, he utters this language — he is an old man 
ahout ready to he called to his fathers home. He is superin- 
tendent of a Sunday school in his beloved state of Tennesse*, 
he has about run his race and it has been an eventful one, 
full of usefulness to his country. And now he uses the beau- 
tiful language we have quoted, and coming from this fiery 
tempered statesman it is worthy of your earnest and pray f "J. 
attention and consideration. 

I now quote Lord Durham as follows: "I have ever 
felt it my duty to support and encourage the principles of 
Free Masonry because it fully developed all social and benevo- 
lent affections.^'— Lord Durham. 

This is given under the head and classed as teaching the 
object of Free Masonry. Freely we state we are not able to 
see where it states the object of Free Masonry. It does 
clearly state what Lord Durham thinks ; what his duty is and 
we agree with him that it is his duty as well as everybody else 
to support the principles of Free Masonry and we do not think 
that Lord Durham is under any less or any greater obligation 
to support the principles of Free Masonry than any other 
brother. 

The fact that a brothei has "Lord'' attached to his name 
does not make him any better Mason. Our theory and the 
principles upon which we act is that we meet upon the level 
and part upon the square. Anything in Free Masonry that in 
the least undertakes to encroach on or modify this principle 
is unmasonic and has no place in Masonry ; for we are taught 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 163 

that it is not the outward man or his fine dress that makes a 
man a Mason. No. He may be poor and ahnost penniless 
in this worlds goods bnt if he is moral and upright before 
God and of good repute in the world he is a fit subject to be- 
come a Mason; but in other days, they, the Masonic fraternity 
todied to kings, Ijords, presidents and senators and we are 
sorry to have to admit that they, we mean some Masons do 
to this day.-We are frank to admit that we do not belong to that 
class for there is no reason for anything of the kind. 

We do admire the brother who by hard work and his own 
efforts has gained preferment among the brethren, that has 
spent much time and expense in getting the correct work of 
Masonry, but not because he has added to his name "Lord/^ 
We do not know but one Lord and him we reverence and adore. 

We now quote from another: "From its origin to the 
present hour in all its vicisitudes. Masonry has been the steady 
unwavering friend of men.'' Eev. Erastus Burr. 

To this we say yes and amen; our brother certainly has 
said a fine thing. From the days of Dear old Enoch down 
through Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, Moses, Abram, 
Aholiab, through Joshua to Solomon, the wise man and tlie 
man that built the first great temple and after its destruction 
and the vessels were carried away to Babylon and after so 
many Hundred years when it was rebuilt and when John the 
Baptist and John the evangelist and Jesus Christ himself 
taught the principles of Free Masonry the fatherhood of God 
and the brotherhood of man, and down through the dark ages 
when Masons were persecuted and beheaded for the cause of 
Christianity and Masonry had been established. They stood 



164 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY 

by their guns until thank God, we are permitted now to advo- 
cate our principles and our cause. 

"Wherever the sun doth his successive journey rim/' 

Then my brother, your statement is true; we with you 
say it is true and may God speed the day that the fraternity 
may throughout the world see it as we do and fully realize 
what it is to be a true Mason; that it does mean that one 
should be a meek and lowly follower of the Lamb' of God that 
takes away the sin of the world. 

May this be our lot, my brother. 

We now make our last quotation as follows from McCoy, 
page 191. "To communicate the blessings of which we are 
partakers; to contribute to the successful propagation of 
knowledge, virtue and peace, of the sciences and arts and what- 
ever adorns social life and to assist in the advancement of 
human happiness, have ever been the great object of Free 
Masonry." 

"To communicate the blessings of which we are partak- 
ers'' is an expression that is good and that is included in the 
object of Free Masonry;. 

To convey blessings to others is a very laudable ambition 
and was ever the encouragement of the noblest and best men 
of earth ; and no man should be a partaker of any thing good 
without desiring to have others partake of it, and more especi- 
ally should he be so if the thing or idea to be communicated is 
especially of such long standing as Free Masonry ; for you can 
depend on it as a fact, my brother, that Masonry reaches away 
back into the past, not exactly in the shape that it exists now 
'but having the same objects and ends in view, trying to convey 
to parties the blessings they enjoyed, for we assert it to be a 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 165 

fact that the good in all ages always were happy, and it is so 
when they are doing good to others. 

In this day and age no man can be a good Mason with- 
out being a good man and being a good man he is not satis- 
fied without doing or trying to do good to others. Go back 
with me into the past and see who have been Masons and what 
they have done for the world and you will find that the good 
men of all ages have, the most of them been Masons and are 
so unto this day in the order. 

That to contribute to the successful propagation of 
knowledge is certainly a laudable ambition and one that all 
the good people of all ages have been trying to do. It depends 
some on what kind of knowledge it is. 

There are many kinds of knowledge. The general mean- 
ing of the word is to convey information to parties; "We would 
have liked it better if the writer had defined what kind of 
knowledge he referred to ; in other words if he had been more 
definite and certain — for the reason that Masonry being 
founded on the Bible, all the knowledge of any value comes 
from the Bible and all its precepts, its symbols, and its alle- 
gories are contained in the Bible. 

If our position is correct, and we think it is then the 
knowledge referred to by our brother is the knowledge contain- 
ed in the Bible, that pertains to the true dispensation of that 
knowledge, that treats of the salvation of the human race. Al- 
low us to here assert that the Bible was written for this pur- 
pose and no other. The most cardinal and important points 
made in the Bible from Genesis to Eevelations has reference to, 
and the completion of the redemption of the world by the suf- 
fering and death of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 



166 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

It may be, my friend, my brother, that you may think that 
we are a stickler about this thing; we are, and we believe 
as much in our position as we do in Masonry, and we are un- 
able to see how any brother can believe otherwise. You will 
hear a Mason make the remark that a man that is a good Mason 
is a pretty good Christian; looking at this as a true Mason 
looks at it this is true but as a matter of fact, my brother, this 
is not true as a rule; I hope you will not be deceived by this 
for I assure you that I do not want to ask you to do anything 
that is not absolutely necessary for you to do that you may be- 
come a member of the Grand Lodge above. 

There is only one way to do this and that is to have your 
sin washed away by Jesus Christ, the only Begotten Son of 
the Father ; this is the only way you can have them forgiven. 
Listen, he says "Come unto me all ye that are weary and 
heavy laden; take my yoke upon you and learn of me and I 
will give 5^ou rest ; for my yoke is easy and my burden is light, 
and I will give rest unto your souls." This is the true knowl- 
edge that Masonry is teaching; this has been the aim and de- 
sire of Masonry from its earliest inception down to the present 
time and ever will be. 

Virtue, yes, it teaches virtue but do we, our brethren, 
practice it as we ought. To live a virtuous life is to live almost 
if not altogether a blameless life. Then, my brother study 
this word in connection with Free Masonry and see what it 
means. That each Mason is required to do this under the 
teachings of Free Masonry there can be no doubt for it is 
taught from the first to the last degree ; but this is one of thv» 
cardinal and grandest principles in Free Masonry; we fear it 
is almost lost sight of and sadly neglected. Says one, "why 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 167 

do you think so? Is it not 'a fact that you are mistaken or 
at least unnecessarily alarmed on this proposition?^' 

We wish that we could think so but in our travels through- 
out the United States and in the many Lodges we have visited 
we are satisfied that we are not ; that virtue in the order is at 
low ebb, and just what can be done to raise this principle to the 
position it ought to occupy is one of the grave questions in the 
order at this particular time. The only way we know is to 
be careful who you admit to the order; this is the only way. 
If any brother knows of any better one it is his duiy to make 
it known to the fraternity. "But/' says the reader, "why do 
you use the term, at this time.'' For this reason; we were 
made a Mason during the war. At that time there were com- 
paratively few Knight Templars throughout the United States 
and the "Order of Shriners" was scarcely known, and there 
were a very few 32nd and 33rd degree Masons; but now they 
are very numerous and especially Knight Templars and Shrin- 
ers. In almost all Lodges where there are one hundred and 
twenty or twenty-five members there is a commandry and every 
where Shriners are being made; and they obtain gaudy uni- 
forms, and a great many are young and handsome ; and there 
are ladies that are captivated by these same splendid uni- 
forms. So it requires Masons to be more on their guar^ 
than it did in former times. "But" says one, "this is a mere 
whim of yours and you belong to the old school and are be- 
hind the times." We desire to answer by saying that we have 
been a close observer and have heard many of the brethren 
talk, in our travels and have visited many lodges reaching al- 
most all parts of the United States, so we know what we are 
talking about and we wish, my brother, that we could say 



168 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

otherwise. Truly, virtue is one of the cardinal principles of 
Free Masonry. 

The next word that is of vast importance to the fraternity 
is the word "peace." Yes, it is enjoined on the candidate ear- 
ly in the ceremonies ; in the state you are to be a peaceable citi- 
zen and must defend your government and live as much as 
lies in you to be at peace with all citizens and to so conduct 
yourself that you will be respected by all men for after he 
has taken the degrees the community begins to watch him and 
they will criticise all his actions and deeds, not only what he 
has been before he became a Mason but now ; they except very 
much of him. This my reader, is a member from the country 
where few men belong to any society. Now my brother you 
have a duty to perform that is important to the fraternity. If 
you comply with your obligations and live a moral, upright 
life and really break off all rough and uncouth habits and 
show to that community that Masonry has caused you to 
change your habits for the better,Masonry will receive a high 
standing in that community and others will soon apply for 
admission for "William Smith," we will call the brother by 
this name, — ^before he became a Mason he used profane lan- 
guage; he has abandoned the use of such language now; he 
used to gamble ; he would bet on horse races, on dog-fights, ani 
bull fights. He has quit all this now and the other young gen- 
tlemen of his acquaintance say "well Smith thinks he is bet- 
ter than any of the rest of us ; he used to be the first man to 
lead off on all those games and bets; he is stuck up since he 
joined the Masons. I wonder what they did to him that he got 
so good all at once. He attends the lodge now regularly ; 
never misses a meeting." 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 169 

My brother, you are now occupying an important position 
in your community; you want to stand firm and show these 
joung men what Masonry does teach and soon you will be the 
means of reforming your whole neighborhood and the old men 
;and old women will soon say : "Well Free Masonry has made 
a different man out of William Smith. He used to be as big 
a roudy as any of the boys in the neighborhood, in fact he was 
the leader in all the betting and horse racing and he swore like 
a trooper; now he has quit it all since he joined the Masons 
and says that he is not going to engage in any of those habits 
any more. It sure has made a wonderful change in him and 
'we believe that he is going to do it; that he has quit those 
things for good and if Free Masonry has caused him to do this 
it is not a bad thing after all." 

Hold out, my brother, you have a work to do that no 
one can do for you. Be faithful. But suppose it has not only 
done this but has gone further and has made the impression 
on your mind that it is intended to make that is that it has 
made the impression that is related, which says to divest my 
mind and conscience of all the superfluities of life thereby fit- 
ting the body for that spiritual building, that house not 
made with hands Eternal in the Heavens. 

' Suppose that it has made this impression which is the 
^ne it is intended to make, and one has not only quit those 
habits that are grossly wrong, that are against the laws of on.j 
country and are forbidden by the laws of Masonry and the 
laws of God. But now William Smith has actually accepted 
■the beautiful idea contained in Masonry and has simply asked 
the Lord to forgive his sins in good faith and the Lord faithful 



170 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

to his promise has done so and now he is a New creature ll. 
Christ Jesus. 

Now my brother, you have sought and obtained the bles- 
sing that Free Masonry has in store for all those that will 
earnestly seek it; for he, Jesus Christ has said, "Come unta 
me all ye ends of the earth and be ye saved, for I am God and 
besides me there is no other.^' 

Now my brother, you have a more important mission 
to perform ; you live in a neighborhood that does not believe 
much in Masonry; your playmates and associates are tho.^e 
that engage in many bad things; you at one time joined them, 
but Masonry and its teachings convinced you that they were 
wrong and that you were wrong. You have convinced them 
by your actions that it is better to be a moral man. In thi& 
you have done a good work, but now you have another du.fj 
to perform, one of far more importance and if you can only 
hold out to the end through the power of prayer. My brother, 
go to God in Prayer; be faithful and soon you will hear those 
friends and classmates say "Well Smith has not only joined the- 
Masons but he claims he has got religion. The fact is, he do2S 
not act at all as he used to do ; is so pious, he is so particular 
about what he says and what he does ; he has not only quit all 
his swearing and betting but John Jones told me that he heard 
him talking to John Willis and telling him he ought to join 
the church that he had joined the church and that God for 
Christ sake had pardoned his sins and that he was a new 
man in Christ Jesus. And all this was brought to his mind 
and attention from the fact that he joined the Free Masons, 
and now he talks about the Bible and about the church all the 
time; and he does seem different from what he used to be/^ 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 17! 

The old mien and old women of the neighborhood meet 
and in congregation assembled^ say ^"have yon heard what Wm» 
Smith has done since he joined the Masons T' One says, "we- 
heard that he had quit swearing and betting on horse racing."' 
"But/' says another, "that is not all; he did not stop there; he 
has joined the chnrch and claims that God, for Christ's salce 
has washed his sins away" — "Yon don't say." 

^^TTes, that was what John Johnson told me, and he said he 
talked with him, himself, and he was trying to get him to join 
the chnrch and get religion too it is a wonder he hadn't tried' 
to get him to join the Masons as that seemed to be the canse 
of his reformation; but yon know they do not persuade any 
person to join the Masons; I heard that long before I ever 
saw Wm. Smith. Yes, when I was a little boy, and that was six- 
ty years ago, I heard one fellow say to another, "if a Mason- 
would come to me and ask me, and appear to be friendly, I 
know I would send in my name and become a member. I am 
just as good as any of them and have as much money and pay 
my debts as promptly as any of the rest." This other man said, 
"if you wait until they ask you to join you will never become a^ 
Mason." "How do you know that?" 

"Well I will tell 3^ou; I had an uncle that was a big 
Mason; I do not know how many degrees he had taken: I 
asked him once if they did not ask parties to become Masons ?"" 

"He said, no ; that if I or any other person wanted to be- 
come a Mason, we would have to do it of our own free will 
and accord ; that no man ever becomes a Mason any other way." 

"It is one of the rules of the order never to ask any per- 
son to join the order.'^ 

Now, Brother Smith, you are occupying a very importaiit 



172 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

position in the world and especially in your neighborhoocl. 
The young men and young women will try and get you to go to 
horse races and all places of amusement that you attended 
before you became a Mason and a church member; they will 
hold out many inducements and snares to induce you to turn 
away from the cause you have now espoused. You will have 
many temptations thrown in your pathway, but, my brother, 
l)e faithful; for Jesus Christ, your conductor has never failed 
and never will fail to conduct his followers safely home when 
life is ended here below. But my brother, you are not safe 
yet; there is another class, older in experience and more 
wily and cunning. They will meet you; they belong to that 
'bold aggressive class that are steeped in sin and iniquity for 
years; they are the DeviPs best workers; watch them thej 
knew you when you were a litfle boy when they were grown 
and they were always the leaders in their community in their 
day ; and they are known to be Infidels and are always trying 
to convince others that they are right. And now you meet 
them for the first time since you joined the Free Masons and 
the church. And the noisy one says, "Good morning Bill,^' 
you answer "Good morning Sir or John,^^ as the case may be. 
Then he says : "Well Bill I hear that you have joined those 
thieving Masons and think now you are better than common 
people." Your answer, "I have joined the Masons and I am 
satisfied with what I received. I like the order very much.*' 
And he says, "I know John Jones; he is about my age and 
I remember when he joined the Masons and he was no better 
after he joined than he was before and he did not pretend to 
be, and he did not attend often and he went to horse races 
.-and bet on them just as he did before and he gambles and 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRl?. 173> 

swears just like he did before he joined and we hear that jrm 
have quit swearing and gambling; and more than that you. 
have joined the church. You have let a lot of silly women, 
and old men capture you and you are simply deluded and gone- 
crazy, and you are liable to soon be in the insane asylum." 
You answer by saying that you do not care to discuss these 
questions with him ; that you are satisfied with the church and. 
with Masonry; that they have all treated you well, but as to 
the church members and the Masons. 

"As for Brother Jones, if he does the way you say he does- 
he is not as good a Mason as he ought to be. And the time 
may come when you are called on to die that you may not 
think these women are as crazy as you now think 
they are. I saw your mother at church and your aunt ;. 
they seemed to be interested in the sermon.'-' The fellow 
looks a little ashamed, and says, "Yes, I hear Mother and 
Aunt have joined the church; well Mother is a good woman, 
and so is Aunt but they are simply deluded as all others thit 
do as they do." "Well if I am satisfied others ought to be;- 
and I am more than satisfied and have no desire to go back to 
my old habits and mates. I am, by the grace of God going fco' 
run the race with patience that is set before me, looking unto^ 
him that does all things well, as the author and finisher of my 
salvation, and I expect to continue to the end; yet I do net- 
desire to impose or enforce my opinion upon you or anybody 
else; yet I would very much dislike to call my mother crazy 
or even say that she belonged to a sect of people that were 
crazy." He answers by saying that he does not exactly think 
that his mother and aunt are crazy, but that they are off ; th y 
will get over it in time, as all others that have been deluded.'^ 



174 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

Smith, replying to him the last time says, "From what 
I have read, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and Aron 
.all belonged to the church; David the father of Solomon al- 
so belonged to the church, and all the good men of old, in- 
cluding Jesus, Joshua came of the tribe of Judea; and have 
you read what Jesus said: "Then I advise you to receive 
what he said before you condemn him." And as to the Ma- 
sons, Solomon, who we are informed, was the wisest man of 
his day, was in his day one of the leading Masons of his day 
and these are the best men of their day and such has been the 
class of men that have espoused and defended their cause in all 
ages down to the present day and these two societies are good 
enough for me, and in them I expect to live and die. Hoping 
some day to hear better things than you have advocated to-day 
good-bye. Gentlemen." 

After young Wm. Smith has gone the infidel says, "Well 
I am inclined to helieve that this young fellow is very deter- 
mined and he is nobodies fool." Says the other, "That's 
true." Says the infidel, "I knew that young Smith when he 
was a little tow-headed boy and at that time I did not think 
he would ever amount to anything but it seems as though 1 
was mistaken. Did you notice how cool and deliberate he was 
in all his talk and how composed he was in his manner ? And 
I must admit that he believed what he said and seemed to be 
trying to do right." Says the other, "There is no question 
in my mind but what he was in earnest and I believe that 
he is a good man." 

Now Brother Smith, you have made a good defense; you 
have fought your first fight with a wily foe and you have won 
the fight manfully. But my brother, this life is a warfare and 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 175 

there are temptations at every cross road along lifes uneven 
journey. All you have to do is to still put your trust in 
the Lord and don^t forget to pray and he will bring you safe 
to the end of life and 3^ou will be permitted to become a mem- 
ber of the Supreme Lodge above where the Supreme Com- 
mander shall always preside; but my brother before this time 
comes many events will take place on and around the old 
homestead. Be faithful and you will see the young men fol- 
lowing your example; a number will become Masons; a num- 
ber of others will become Christians ; The whole neighborhood 
has changed their habits; the infidel has left the neighbor- 
hood; no one knows where he is now and there are not many 
friends left there to enquire after him. All this is and has 
been brought about by Wm. Smith joining the Masonic Fra- 
ternity, and getting the right idea of Masonry and having the 
courage to put in to practice what he got as the true idea of 
Masonry. 

My dear reader, if this picture or story is true you see 
that Masonry is at least the hand maid of Christianity and 
prepares the mind for the Savior to dwell in and the heart 
for the indwelling of the holy spirit. 

Still my reader, do not think for one moment that I have 
abandoned my position, that no man can be a true Mason un- 
less he is a true Christian and that he does with all his heart, 
soul, body and mind believe in the gospel of the Lord Jesus 
Christ. This he must do to become a member of the Supreme 
Lodge above and my brethren you all expect this, we know; 
then why not live every day for it, for there will come a day 
that you will wish that you had. 



176 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

My prayer is my iDrother, that you may do so from tliis 
time on to the end of your life. 

His first proposition to assist in the advancement of hu- 
man happiness is certainly one of the objects of Free Masonry, 
and whatever advances human happiness is a benefit to the 
world at large ; for happiness is what the whole human race is 
hunting for and looking after and this is what we ought to 
expect and what the people ought to strive for. Happiness is 
a pleasure, then, to only think of it. It should occupy a place 
in every human heart. But what kind of happiness does he 
refer to? 

Does he refer to the happiness commonly known as world- 
ly happiness, such as one can obtain in the worldly pleasures 
of this life; as for instance: The theatre, the ballroom and 
the fashionable society, and going to social gatherings. If 
this is the kind of happiness the writer refers to, we say we 
cannot agree with him. That happiness referred to in Ma- 
sonry is of a more durable character. We would not for one 
moment advocate the idea that Masonry does not increase ones 
happiness here. Of course it does and you will have many 
pleasant and happy meetings here and the society of Masons 
as a rule is pleasant for we have spent many pleasant and 
happy hours in the lodge room. But the real happiness in 
Masonry is in preparing while here to live in the supreme 
lodge above. We have now more pleasure in contemplating 
the meeting after death when we shall meet to part no more. 

This is a grand thought. We shall know each other 
there ; there is no contention there or striving for the mastery. 
We shall be members, if worthy of the supreme lodge forever 
in the presence of the I am that I am. He will be the su- 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 177 

preme master; no dues to pay; no more death, there; no sor- 
row for these things have all passed away and all things have 
become new for this is a new heaven, a new earth ; for the old 
earth has passed away. 

Wont this be joyful when we meet the old patriarchs^ 
Enoch, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; but Enoch when he be- 
holds that grand throng that has been carrying out the prin- 
ciples that he originated eight hundred years after the* crea- 
tion of the world — whose mysteries he concealed by burying 
them in a subterranean cavern where they remained until Solo- 
mon brought them to light when he was excavating and pre- 
paring the foundation for the great temple. But oh, the 
long line of Martyrs and heroes that belong and have be- 
longed to the fraternity. But, says the reader, what do you 
claim it takes to constitute and obtain this happiness? Tell 
me again in as few words as possible but make it plain. We 
state, as we shall answer to God in that great day, "First seek 
ye the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these 
things shall be added to you.^^ What things do you refer to ? 
The happiness promised you in this world and that which i& 
to come. "Ask and ye shall receive; seek and ye shall find; 
knock and it shall be opened unto you; for he that asketh I 
will in no wise turn away ; and he that asks me early shall find, 
me." Eemember my brother, what the Lord purposes, that he 
performs ; and as sure as you live and as sure as you ask him 
aright that sure he will say enough you may understand you; 
must repent of your sins and become as helpless as a Ititle child 
for you can do nothing towards saving yourself except to re- 
pent and feel your helplessness and your need of his cleansing 
power which you are sure to receive if you ask aright. May 



I 



178 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONEY. 

the God we worship and adore put it into the hearts of the fra- 
ternity throughout the world to do this by coming boldly to 
a throne of grace and by saying, "Here Lord, I give my self 
away ; 'tis all that I can do f and God the father, and God the 
son, and God the Holy Ghost will do what remains to be done. 
So may it be. 

This ends the comment on what others say as to the object 
of Free Masonry, and we continue what we have to say in 
conclusion on this subject. We desire here to give a partial 
description of Solomon's temple, commencing at the second 
chapter of the second Chronicles. "And Solomon determined 
to build an house for the name of the Lord and an house for 
his kingdom; and Solomon to have three score and ten thous- 
and men to bear burdens and four score thousand to hew in the 
mountains and three thousand six hundred to oversee them. 
And Solomon sent to Hiram, King of Tyre, saying "as thou 
-didst deal with David my father and didst send him cedars 
to build him an house to dwell therein, even so deal with me. 
Behold I build an house to the name of the Lord, my God, to 
-dedicate it to him, to barn before him sweet incense and for 
the continual shew-bread and for the burnt offerings, morning 
and evening, on the Sabbath and on the new moons and on the 
solemn feasts of the Lord our God. This is an ordinance for 
•ever to Israel. 

"And the house which I build is great, for great is our 
God above all Gods ; but who is able to build him a house see- 
ing that the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain 
him ? Who am I then that I should build him an house save 
only to burn sacrifice before him? 

^^Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 179 

and silver and in brass and in iron and in purple and in 
crimson and in blue and that has the skill to grave with the 
cunning men that are with me in Judea, and in Jerusalem 
whom David, my Father, did provide, and send me also cedar 
trees, fir trees, and Algum trees out of Lebanon, and behold my 
servants shall be with thy servants even to prepare me tim- 
ber in abundance for the house which I am about to build 
shall be wonderfully great. 

"And behold I will give to thy servants the hewers that 
cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat and 
twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand 
baths of wine and twenty thousand baths of oil." 

Then Hiram, the King of Tyre, answered in writing 
which he sent to Solomon. "Because the Lord hath loved his 
people he hath made thee king over them." Hiram said more- 
over. "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel that made Heaven 
and earth, who have given to David the King a wise son; in- 
deed with prudence and understanding that he might build an 
house for the Lord and an house for his kingdom. And now 
I have sent a cunning man endowed with understanding, the 
son of a woman of the daughter of Dan; and his father was 
a man of Tyre skillfull to work in gold and in silver, in brass, 
in iron, in stone and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine 
linen and in crimson; also to grave any manner of graving, 
and to find out every device which shall be put to him with thy 
cunning men of my Lord David, thy father. 

"Now wherefore, the wheat and the barley, the oil and the 
wine which my Lord has spoken of, let him send unto his ser- 
vants and we will cut wood out of Lebanons much as thou- 



180 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

shalt need and we will bring it to thee in floats by sea to Jop- 
pa, and then shalt carry it up to Jerusalem/^ 

"And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in 
the land of Israel after the numbering wherewith David his 
father had numbered them, and they were found one hundred 
and fifty thousand and three thousand six hundred; and he 
set three score and ten thousand of them to be bearers of bur- 
dens and four score thousand to be hewers in the mountain, 
and three thousand six hundred overseers to set the people to 
work/^ 

Third chapter. "Then Solomon began to build the 
house of the Lord at Jerusalem in Mount Moriah where the 
Lord apeared unto David, his father, in the place that David 
had prophesied in the threshing floor of Oman the Jebusite. 
And he began to build on the second day of the second month 
in the fourth year of his reign. Now these are the things 
wherein Solomon was instructed for the building of the house 
of God. The length by cubits after the first measure was 
three score cubits and the breadth twenty cubits; and the 
porch that was in the front of the house, the length of it was 
according to the breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and the 
height was an hundred and twenty, and he overlaid it within 
with pure gold; and the greater house he ceiled with fir tree 
which he overlaid with fine gold and set thereon palm trees 
and chains. And he garnished the house with precious 
stones for beauty and the gold was gold of pure vein. And 
he overlaid also the house, the beams, the posts and the walls 
thereof, and the doors thereof with gold and graved cherubims 
on the walls. And he made the most holy house, the length 
whereof was according to the breadth of the house, twenty 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 181 

cubits and the 'breadth thereof twenty cubits; and he over- 
laid it with fine gold amounting to six hundred Talents. 

"And the weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold, and 
he overlaid the upper chambers with gold; and in the most 
holy house he made two cherubims of image work and overlaid 
them with gold. And the wings of the cherubims were 
twenty cubits long; one wing of the one cherub was five cu- 
bits reaching to the wall of the house, and the other wing was 
likewise five cubits reaching to the wing of the other cherub. 
"And one wing of the other cherub was five cubits reaching 
to the wall of the house; and the other wing was five cubits 
also joining to the wing of the other cherub. 

"The wings of these cherubins spread themselves forth 
twenty cubits and they stood on their feet and their faces 
were inward. 

"And he made the veil of blue, and purple, and crimson, 
and fine linen, and wrought cherubims therein. Also he 
made before the house two pillars of thirty and five cubits 
high and the chapter that was on the tops of each of them was 
five cubits. And he made chains as in the oracle and put 
them on the heads of the pillars and made an hundred pome- 
granates and put them on the chains. An^ he 
reared up the pillars before the temple, one on the light 
hand and the other on the left and called the name of that 
one on the right hand, Jachim, and the name of that on the 
left, Boaz.'^ 

Chapter four. "Moreover, he made an altar of brass, 
twenty cubits, the length thereof, and twenty cubits the 
breadth thereof, and ten cubits the height thereof. Also he 
made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim round in 



182 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

compass and five cubits the height thereof, and a line of thirty 
cubits did compass it round about. 

"And under it was the similitude of oxen which did com- 
pass it round about, ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round 
about : Two rows of oxen were cast when it was cast. It 
stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north and 
three looking ,toward the south and three looking toward the 
east; and the sea was set above, upon them and all their 
hinder parts were inward. And the thickness of it was an 
handsbreadth, and the brim of it like the brim of a cup with 
flowers of lillies; and it received and held three thousand 
baths. 

"And he made also ten ewers and put five on the right 
hand and five on the left to wash in them such things as 
they offered for the burnt offering they washed in them ; but 
the sea was for the priests to wash in. 

"And he made ten candle sticks of gold according to these 
and set them in the temple, five on the right hand and five on 
the left. 

"He made also ten tables and placed them in the temple 
five on the right side and five on the left; and he made a 
hundred basins of gold. 

"And furthermore, he made the court of the priest and 
the great court and doors for the court, and over-laid the doors 
with brass. And he set sea on the right side of the east end 
over against the south. 

"And Hiram made the plats and the shovels and the bas- 
ins; and Hiram finished the work that he was to make for 
King Solomon for the house of God, to-wit: the two pillars 
and the pommels and the chapters which were in the tops of 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 183 

the two pillars, and the two wreaths to cover the two pomniels 
of the chapters which were on the tops of the pillars, and four 
hundred pomegranates on the two wreaths, two rows of pome- 
granates on each wreath to cover the two pommels of the 
chapters which were upon the pillars. He also made bases 
and ewers made he upon the bases; one sea and twelve oxen 
under it. The plats also and the shovels, and the flesh hooks 
and all these instruments did Hiram, his father make to King 
Solomon for the house of the Lord, of bright brass. In the 
plain of Jorden did the king cast them in the clay ground be- 
tween Succoth and Zeredatath. 

"Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance 
for the weight of the brass could not be found out ; and Solo- 
mon made all the vessels that were for the house of God, the 
golden altar also and the tables and the table whereon the 
shew bread set; moreover, the candle-sticks with their lamps 
that they should burn after the manner before the oracle of 
pure gold. 

"And the flowers and the lamps and the tongs made he of 
gold and that perfect gold. And the snuffers and the basins 
and the spoons and the censer of pure gold and the entry of 
the house, the inner doors thereof for the most holy place and 
the doors of the house of the temple were of gold. 

"Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of 
the Lord was finished and Solomon brought in all the things 
that David, his father had dedicated, and the silver and the 
gold and all the instruments put he among the treasurers of 
the house of God. 

"Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the 
heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children 



184 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

of Israel unto Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the covenant 
of the Lord out of the city of David which is in Zion. 

"Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves 
unto the king in the feast which was in the seventh month. 
And all the elders of Israel came and the Levites took up the 
Ark ; and they brought up the Ark and the Tabernacle of the 
congregation and all the holy vessels that were in the taber- 
nacle, these did the priests and the Levites bring up. 

"Also King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel 
that were assembled unto him before the Ark sacrificed sheep 
and oxen which could not be told or numbered for multitude. 

"And the priest brought in the Ark of the covenant of the 
Lord into this place to the oracle of the house unto the most 
holy place even under the wings of the cherubims: For the 
cherubims spread forth their wings over the place of the Ark 
and the cherubims covered the Ark and the staves thereof 
above. And they drew out the staves of the Ark that the ends 
of the staves were seen from the Ark before the oracle, but 
they were not seen without; and there it rests unto this day. 

"There was nothing in the Ark save the two tables which 
Moses put therein at Hoab; jvhen he had made a covenant 
with the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt. 
And it canue to pass when the priest come out of the holy 
place, for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and 
did not then wait by course. 

"Also the Levites which were the singers all of them of 
Asaph, of Hanaan of Judea, they with their sons and their 
brethren being arrayed in white linen having cymbals and 
psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and 
with them an hundred and twenty priests standing with trum- 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 185 

pets. It came even to pass as the trumpeters and singers were 
as one to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking 
the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with trumpets 
and cymbals and instruments of music and praised the Lord, 
saying — '^for he is good for his mercy endureth forever/ that 
then the house was filled with a cloud even the house of the 
Lord. So that the priest could not stand to minister by rea- 
son of the cloud ; for the glory of the Lord had filled the house 
of God. 

"Then said Solomon, the Lord hath said that he would 
dwell in the thick darkness. But I have built an house of hab- 
itation for thee and a place for thy dwelling forever. And 
the king turned his face and blessed the whole congregation of 
Israel and all the congregation stood. 

"And he said, ^Blessed be the Lord Grod of Israel who 
hath with his hand fulfilled that which he spake with his 
mouth to my father, David, saying ^since the day that I 
brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt choosing 
no city among all the tribes of Israel to baild an house in 
that my name might be there ; neither chose I any man to be a 
ruler over my people of Israel. 

' "But I have chosen Jerusalem that my name might be 
there and have chosen David to be over my people Israel.^ 

"Now it was in the heart of David, my father, to build 
an house for the name of the Lord of Israel ; but the Lord said 
to David, my father, for a? much as it was in thine heart to 
build an house for my name thou didst well in that it was in 
thine heart; notwithstanding, thou shalt not build the house 
but thy son which shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall 
build an house for my name, the Lord therefore hath per- 



186 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONKT. 

formed the word that he hath spoken; for I am risen in the 
room of David, my father, and am set on the throne of Israel 
as the Lord promised and have bnilt the house in the name of 
the Lord God of Israel/ 

"And in it I put the ark, wherein is the covenant of the 
Lord, that he made with the children of Israel. And he stood 
before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congre- 
gation of Israel and spread forth his hands. 

"For Solomon has made a brazen scaffold of five cubits 
long and five cubits broad and three cubits high and set in the 
midst of the court, and upon it he stood and bended down 
upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel and 
spread forth his hands towards Heaven; and said, *0, Lord 
God of Israel, there is no God like thee which keepeth thy 
covenant and sheweth mercy unto thy servants that walk 
before thee with all their hearts. Thou which hast kept with 
my servant David my father, that which thou hast promised 
him and spakest with thy mouth and hast fulfilled it with 
thine hand as it is this day. 

"Now therefore, 0, Lord God of Israel, keep with thy ser- 
vant David my father, that which thou hast promised him 
saying, there shall not fail thee a man in my sight to set 
upon the throne of Israel yet so that thy children take heed 
to their ways to walk in my law as thou hast walked before me. 

"Now then, 0, Lord God of Israel, let thy word be veri- 
fied which thou hast spoken unto thy servant David. But 
will God in every deed dwell with men on the earth ? Behold 
Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee, how 
much less this house which I have built. 

"Have respect therefore to the prayer of thy servant an^"* 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 187 

to his supplication, Lord My Grod, to hearken unto the cry 
and the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee. 

"That thine eyes may be upon this honse daj and niglit 
upon the place whereof thou hast said that thou wonldst put 
thy name there ; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servan fc 
prayeth toward this place. Hearken, therefore unto the sup- 
plications of thy servant and of thy people of Israel which 
they shall make toward this place; hear them from thy 
dwelling place even from heaven and when thou hearest, for- 
give. 

"If a man sin against his neighbor and an oath be l.iid 
upon him to make him swear and the oath come before thine 
altars in this house, then hear thou from Heaven and do and 
judge thy servants by requiting the wicked by recompensing 
his way upon his own head and by justifying the righteous; 
by giving him according to his righteousness. 

"And if thy people of Israel be put to the worse before 
the enemy because they have sinned against thee and shall re- 
turn and confess thy name and pray and make supplicaticTj 
before thee in this house; then hear thou from the Heavens 
and forgive the sin of thy people, Israel, and bring them again 
unto the land, which thou gavest to them and to their fathers. 

"When the Heaven is shut up and there is no rain be- 
cause they have sinned against thee yet if they pray toward 
this place and confess thy name and turn from their sin 
when thou dost afflict them. 

"Then hear thou from Heaven and forgive the sin of thy 
servants, and of thy people, Israel, when thou hast taught 
them the good way wherein they should walk and send rain 



188 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

in upon thy land which thou hast given unto thy people for 
an inheritance. 

"If there be dearth in the land, if there be pestilence, if 
there be blasting or mildew, locust, or caterpillars, if their 
enemies besiege them in the cities of their land, whatsoever 
sore or whatsoever sickness there be then what prayer or what 
supplication soever shall be made of any man or of all thy 
people Israel, when every one shall know his own sore and his 
own grief and shall spread forth his hands in this house. 

"Then hear thou from Heaven, thy dwelling place, and 
forgive and render unto every man according to all his ways 
whose heart thou knowest for thou only knowest the hearts of 
the children of man, that they may fear thee, to walk in thy 
ways so long as they live in the land which thou gavest unto 
•our fathers. 

"Moreover, concerning the stranger which is not of thy 
people, Israel, but is come from a far country for thy great 
names sake, and thy mighty hand and thy stretched out arm; 
if they come and pray in this house, then hear thou from 
the Heavens even from thy dwelling place and do according 
to all that the stranger calleth to thee for, that all people 
of the earth may know thy name and fear thee as doth thy 
people, Israel, and may know that this house which I have 
built is called by thy name. 

"If thy people go out to war against their enemies by 
the way that thou shalt send them, and they pray unto thee 
from this city which thou hast chosen, and the house which 
I have built for thy name, then hear from the heavens I heir 
prayer and their supplication and maintain their cause. If 
they sin against thee, for there is no man which sinneth not. 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. ISO" 

and thou be angry with them and deliver them over before 
their enemies, and they carry them away, captives, imto the 
land far off or near; yet if they bethink themselves in the 
land whither they are carried captive, and turn and pray u">to 
thee in the land of their captivity, saying, 'we have sinned, we 
have done amiss and have dealt wickedly;' and if they return 
to thee with all their heart and all their soul in the land of 
their captivity, whither they have carried them captives, and 
pray toward their land which thou gavest unto their fathers. 
and towards the city which thou hast chosen; and toward 
thy house which I have built for thy name then hear from the 
Heavens even from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their 
supplications and maintain their cause, and forgive thy peo- 
ple which have sinned against thee. 

"Now, my God, let me beseech thee, thine eyes be ■'^pen 
and let thine ears be attent unto the prayer that is made in 
this place. 

"Now therefore, arise, 0, Lord God unto thy resting- 
place, thou and the ark of thy strength ; let thy priest, Lord 
God be clothed with salvation, and let thy saint.-: rejoice in 
goodness. 0, Lord God turn not away thy face of thine an- 
ointed ; remember the mercies of David thy servant. 

"Now when Solomon had made an end of prajdng, the 
fire came down from Heaven and consumed the burnt of- 
fering and the sacrifices and the glory of the Lord filled the- 
house." From chapter 7, 1st verse. 



190 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONEY. 



CHAPTER XXIIL 

We have copied the above from the Bible for the rea- 
son that it could not be made more concise and expressive by 
any language that we could use; and we thought it proper to 
■describe the temple which we consider the most perfect ever 
built by man. There are many things connected with the 
building, dedication and completion of this building that are 
dear to every Mason. 

It marks an event in his life when he takes the degrees 
that he never forgets and never ought to. 

If the building made by the hands of Solomon is as above 
described what will the building fashioned and built by God 
be? Oh, who on earth can describe it? John, the Eevelator 
had a mere glimpse of it; hear what he says about it. Chap- 
ter four: "After this I looked and behold, a door was open- 
ed in Heaven, and the first voice which I heard was as it were 
of a trumpet talking with me which said, 'come up hither and 
I will show thee that which must be hereafter.' And imme- 
diately I was in the spirit, and behold, a throne was set in 
Heaven and one sat on the throne. 

''And he that sat was to look upon, like jasper and a 
saphire stone and there was a number round about the throne 
in sight like unto an emerald. 



I 



THE OBJECT OF EEEE MASONRY. 191 

^^And upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders clothed 
in white raiment and they had on their heads crowns of gold. 

"And before the throne there was a sea of glass. 

"And he showed me a pure river of water of life clear as 
crystal proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 

"And in the midst of the street of it and on either side of 
the river was the tree of life which bore divers manners of 
fruits, and yielded her fruit every month and the leaves of the 
tree were for the healing of the nations. 

"And there shall be no night there and they need no 
candle, neither light of the sun for the Lord God giveth them 
light and they shall reign forever and ever." 

If we could only describe that building, that supreme 
lodge or temple that has already been built without hands. Et- 
ernal in the Heavens ; where are walls of jasper, whose founda- 
tion is of pure gold as it were transparent glass, whose builder 
and maker is God. Oh, what a scene; Oh, what a country. 
Oh, that we the members of the fraternity may live here in that 
relation to God that we may be permitted to be inhahitants 
of that grand and beautiful city with the pure in heart for- 
ever and forever. 

What is the object of Free Masonry? We now state that 
in this is included everything that can make man better; and 
the wisdom of ages are contained in its ceremonies. All its 
precepts and examples are founded in love, charity, patience, 
forbearance and goodness. All its lodge rooms and temples 
wherever found are in imitation of and represent the Holy of 
Holies, a place where the ark of the covenant has always been. 
Its teaching represents a country that flows with corn, wine, 
oil, milk and honey and its food for thought is the Heavenly 



193 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

manna. The great, the grand and supreme object of all its 
votaries is to gain a home in Heaven. 

On this plane Free Masonry moves majestically along 
with the stream of time, fashioning and molding the charac- 
ter of men; fully realizing that she is indebted to the past 
and in her deep and lasting obligation to the present ; hoping 
that the future may place all her adherents on a higher and 
more Heavenly plane; fully realizing her grand scope and 
broad field for missionary work ; adhering to her ancient land- 
marks ; scattering benediction in her path in active benevolence 
and charity to all who come within the sphere of her influence, 
and oh, how great it is getting to be; but for fear we may 
stray from the path of righteousness, let us see where we are 
and let us not be proud and self reliant; if we are, we are 
lost. Let us say with the psalmist. "I was glad when they 
said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord. Our feet 
shall stand within thy gates, 0, Jerusalem. Jerusalem is 
builded as a city that is compact together; for there are set 
thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David. 

"Peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy 
palaces. 

"I will now say for my brethren and companions sakes, 
peace be within thee. Because of the house of the God oui* 
father I will seek thy good. 

"Unto the left I lift mine eyes to thou that dwellest in the 
Heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand 
of their master and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of 
her mistress, so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God until that 
he may have mercy upon us. 

"Have mercy upon us, Lord, have mercy upon us for we 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONKY. 193- 

are exceedingly filled with contempt. Our soul is exceedingly 
filled with the scorning of those that are at ease and with the 
contempt of the proud. 

"They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, 
which cannot be removed but abideth forever. 

"As the mountains are round about Jerusalem so is the 
Lord around about his people from henceforth even forever. 

"For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of 
the righteous lest the righteous put forth their hands unto 
iniquity. 

"Do good^ Oh Lord, unto those that be good and to them 
that are upright in their hearts; as for such as turn aside into^ 
their crooked ways the Lord shall lead them forth with the 
workers of iniquity; but peace shall be upon Israel. 

"The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are 
glad. 

"They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. And he that. 
goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed shall doubtless 
come again with rejoicing bringing his sheaves with him. 

"Praise ye the Lord, singing unto the Lord a new song: 
and his praise in the congregation of saints. Let Israel re- 
joice in him that made him; let the children of Zion be joy- 
ful in their king. 

"Let them praise his name in the dance ; let them sing- 
praises unto him with the timbral and the harp. 

"For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people ; he will beau- 
tify the meek with salvation; let the saints be joyful in glory; 
let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of 
God be in their mouths and a two edged sword in their hand. 

"To execute vengence upon the Heathen and punishment: 



194 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

upon the people. To bind their kings with chains and their 
nobles with fellows of iron; to execute upon them the judg- 
ment written. This honor have all the saints; praise ye the 
Lord. 

"Praise ye the Lord, praise God in his sanctuary; praise 
him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his 
mighty acts; praise him according to his excellent greatness. 
Praise him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise him with 
the psaltry and harp ; Praise him with the timbral and dance. 

"Praise him with stringed instruments and organs. 

"Praise him upon the loud cymbral. Praise him upon 
the high sounding cymbrals. Let everything that hath breath 
praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. 

"My son, forget not my Law, but let thine heart keep 
my commandments. For length of days and long life and 
peace' shall they add to thee ; let not mercy and truth forsake 
thee; bind them about thy neck. Write them on the tables 
of thine heart. 

"So shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the 
^ight of God and man. 

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to 
thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him 
and he shall direct thy paths. 

"Be not wise in thine own eyes ; fear the Lord and depart 
from evil. 

"It shall be health to thy naval and marrow to thine 
bones. 

"Honor the Lord with thy substance and with the first 
fruits of all thine increase. So shall thy barns be filled with 
plenty and thy presses shalhburst forth with new wine. 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 195 

"My sons, despise not the chastening of the Lord ; neither 
be weary of his correction. 

"For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a 
father the son in whom he delighteth. 

"Happy is the man that findeth wisdom and the man 
that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is bet- 
ter than the merchandise of silver; and the gain thereof than 
fine gold. 

"She is more precious than rubies ; and all the things thou 
canst desire are not to be compared unto her. 

"Length of days is in her right hand; and in her hand 
riches and honor. 

"Her ways of pleasantry and all her paths are peace. 

"She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her and 
happy is every one that returneth unto her. 

"The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth ; by under- 
standing hath he established the Heavens. By his knowl- 
edge the depths are broken up and the chinks drop down the 
dew. 

"My son, let not them depart from thine eyes ; keep sound 
wisdom and discretion. So shall they be life unto thy soul 
and peace to thy heart. 

"Thou shalt then walk in thy way safely and thy foot shall 
not stumble. When thou liest down thou shalt not be afraid. 
Yea, thou shalt lie down and thy sleep shall be sweet. Be not 
afraid of sudden fear ; neither of the desolation of the wicked 
when it cometh . 

"For the Lord shall be thy confidence and shall keep thy 
foot from being taken. 



196 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

"Withhold not good from them to whom it is due when 
it is in the power of thine hand to do it. 

"Say thou not to thy neighbor, ^go and come again/ and 
tomorrow I will give thee that thou hast by thee. 

"Devise not evil against thy neighbor seeing he dwelleth 
securely by thee. 

"Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done 
thee no harm. 

"Envy not the oppressor and choose none of his ways; 
for the froward is an abomination to the Lord, but his secret 
is with the righteous. 

"The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked, but 
he blesseth the habitation of the just. i 

"Surely he scorneth the scorners ; but he giveth grace unto 
the lowly. 

"The wise shall inherit glory, but shame shall be the pro- 
motion of fools.^^ 

Oh, what instruction there is in this. We will my 
brother, all profit by complying with the instructions given in 
this chapter. 3rd chapter, Ecc. "To every thing there is 
a season and a time to every purpose under the Heavens. 

"A time to be bom and a time to die; a 
time to plant and a time to pluck up that which 
is planted. A time to kill and a time to heal; a 
time to break down and a time to build up; a time to weep 
and a time to laugh; a time to moan and a time to dance. 
A time to cast angry stones and a time to gather stones to- 
gether; a time to embrace and a time to refrain from em- 
bracing. 

"A time to get and a time to lose; a time to keep and a 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASOISTEY. 197 

time to cast away; a time to rend and a time to sew; a time 
to keep silence and a time to speak. A time to love and a time 
to hate ; a time of war and a time of peace." We add^ a time to 
be wicked and a time to be righetous. May the latter time 
oome to all Masons early in life. 

"What profit hath he that washeth in that wherein he 
laboreth ? I have seen the travail which God hath given to the 
sons of man to be exercised in it. He hath made every thing 
beautiful in his time. 

'^^Also he hath set the world in their heart so that no 
man can find out the work that G-od hath done from the 
beginning to the end. 

"I know there is no good in them but for men to rejoice 
and do good in his life. 

"And also that every man should eat and drink and en- 
joy the good of all his labor ; it is the gift of God. I know that 
whatsoever God doeth it shall be forever; nothing can be put to 
it ; nor anything be taken from it. And God doeth it that men 
should fear before him. 

"That which has been is now ; and that which is to be has 
already been; and God requireth that which is past. More- 
over, I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wicked- 
ness was there, and the place of righteousness that iniquity was 
there. 

"I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and 
the wicked for there is a time there for every purpose and 
for every work. 

"I said in mine heart, concerning the estates of the sons of 
men, that God might manifest them and that they might see 
that they themselves are beasts. For that which befalleth the 



198 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

sons of- men bef alleth the beast ; even one thing bef alleth them 
as the one doeth. 

"So doeth the other: Yea, they all have one breath, so 
that man hath no pre-eminence above a beast for all is vani- 

ty. ' 

"All goeth unto one place ; all are of the dust and all turn 
to dust again. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth 
upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to 
the earth. 

"Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better than 
that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his 
portion for who shall bring him to see what shall be hereafter.^' 

I copy this chapter on account of its elegant truths and 
sentiments and for the purpose of showing that the writer 
makes a difference as to where the soul of man and the soul 
of the beast goes. He says that the soul of men goeth upward, 
while the soul of the beasts goeth downward to the earth. Thus 
in all cases like this where he or others speak of man in con- 
nection with beasts and liken them to each other, they have 
reference to the body mainly, and that they each alike return 
to dust after death. 

In times gone by there seemed to be some confusion on 
this point but now we think all writers agree on this subject 
everywhere. 

Chapter 5, Ecc. "Keep thy foot where thou goest to the 
house of God ; be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice 
of fools; for they consider not that they do evil. 

"Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be 
hasty to utter anything before God, for God is in Heaven 
and thou art on earth; therefore let thy words be few. 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 199 

"For a dream cometh througli a multitude of baseness 
and a fools voice is known by a multitude of words. 

"When thou vowest a vow unto God defer not to pay it^ 
for he hath no pleasure in fools; pay that which thou hast 
vowed. Better is it then thou shouldst not vow than that 
thou shouldst vow and not pay. 

"Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither 
say thou before the angel that it was an error ; wheref or should 
God be angry at thy voice and destroy the work of thine 
hands. 

"For in the multitude of dreams and many words there 
are also divers vanities; but fear thou God. 

"If thou seest the oppression of the poor and violent 
prevailing of judgment and justice in probing, marvel not at 
the matter for he that is higher than the highest requireth 
and those be higher than they. Moreover, the prophet of the 
earth is for all ; The King himself is revealed by the fold. 

"Be that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; 
nor he that loveth abundance with increase. This is also 
vanity. 

"When goods increase they are increased that eat them 
and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the be- 
holding of them with their eyes ? 

"The sleep of the laboring man is sweet whither he eat 
little or much, but the abundance of the rich will not suffer 
Mm to sleep. 

"There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun,_ 
namely; riches kept for the owner thereof to their hurt, but 
those riches perish by evil travail and he begetteth a son 
and there is nothing in his hand. 



■200 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

^'^As he came forth of his mothers womh, naked shall he 
Teturn to go as he came and shall take nothing of his labor 
which he may carry away in his hand. And this also is a sore 
■evil that in all points as he came so shall he go and what pro- 
fit hath he that hath labored for the end? 

"All "his days also he eateth in darkness and he hath 
much sorrow and wrath with his sickness. 

"Behold that which I have seen; it is good and comely 
for one to eat, to drink and to enjoy the good of all his labor 
that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life which God 
hath given him for it is his portion. 

"Every man also to whom God hath given riches and 
wealth and hath given him power to eat thereof and to take 
his portion and to rejoice in his labor. This is the gift of God. 

"For he shall not much remember the days of his life be- 
cause God answereth him in the joy of his heart.^' 

We copy this chapter and call attention to the fourth verse 
in particular, "When thou vowest a vow to God pay it." How 
many vows, my brother tave you made that were made in good 
faith that you fully intended to pay but you neglected to do so. 

Be careful hereafter and when you vow a vow to the Lord 
pay it; for God is in heaven and we are on earth. He is not 
slack concerning his promises as men are. 

Chapter 11 : "Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou 
shalt find it after many days. 

"Give a portion to seven and also to eight, for thou 
knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. 

"If the clouds be full of rain they empty themselves upon 
the earth and if the tree fall toward the south or toward the 
north, in the place where the tree falleth there it shall be. 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 201 

"He that observeth the wind shall not sow and he that 
regardeth the clouds shall not reap. 

"As thon knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor 
how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child, 
even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. 

"In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening withhold 
not thy hand, for thou knowest not whither shall prosper, 
either this or that, or whither they both shall be alike good. 

"Truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for 
they eyes to behold the sun. 

"But if a man live many years and rejoice in them all, 
yet let him remember the days of darkness for they shall be 
many; all that cometh is vanity. 

"Eejoice, young man in thy youth and let thy heart 
cheer thee in the days of thy youth and walk in the ways of 
thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou that 
for all these things God will bring thee unto judgment. 

"Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart and put away 
evil from thy flesh for childhood and youth are vanity." 

The third verse announces the principle or doctrine, "as 
a man dies so shall be meet his God ; that there is no repent- 
ance beyond the grave." 

Then, my brother, how important it is that we each make 
our peace, calling and election sure. Delays are dangerous for 
you cannot tell when the call for you will come and when he 
calls we must go. Then be ready for wo are informed that 
while the lamp holds out to burn the vilest sinner may re- 
turn. "But," says one, "I am not one of the vilest." 

Eemember, my Brother, if you are not born again you 
belong to that class as we all do. 




202 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

44th chapter of Ezekiel: "Then he brought me back: 
the way of the gate of the outward sanctuar}- which looketh 
toward the east ; and it was shut 

"Then said the Lord unto me, ^This gate shall be shut;, 
it shall not be opened and no man shall enter in by it be- 
cause the Lord God of Israel hath entered in by it; therefore, 
it shall be shut. 

* "It is for the prince, the prince he shall sit in it to eat 
bread before the Lord; he shall enter by way of the porch of 
that gate, and shall go out by way of the L^ame/ 

"Then brought he me by way of the north gate before the 
house and I looked and beheld the glory of the Lord filled the 
house of the Lord ; and I fell upon my face. 

"And the Lord said unto me, Mark well, and behold with 
thine eyes, and hear with thine ears all that I say unto thee 
concerning all the ordinances of the house of the Lord. And 
the laws thereof and mark well the entering in of the Jiouse, 
with every going forth of the sanctuary. 

"And thou shall say to the rebellious, even to the house of" 
Israel, thus sayeth the Lord God ; ^Oh, ye house of Israel, let 
it suffice you of all your abominations, in that ye have 
brought into my sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart 
and uncircumcised in flesh to be in my sanctuary to polute it 
even my house; when ye offer my bread, the feet and the 
blood and they have broken my covenant because of all your 
abominations. 

"And ye have not kept the charge of mine holy things;, 
but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for 
yourselves. 

Thus sayeth the Lord God. ^No strangers uncircumcised' 



T»E OBJECT OF FREE MASONKY. 203- 

in heart and ■ancirc-amcised in flesh shall enter into my sanc- 
tuary of any stranger that is among the children of Israel. 
And the Levites that are gone away far from me when Israel 
went astray which went astray away from me after their idols, 
they shall even hear their iniquity. Yet they shall be minis- 
ters in my sanctuary, having charge at the gates of the house 
and ministering unto the house. They shall slay the burnt 
offerings and the sacrifice for the people and they shall stand 
before them to minister unto them . 

"Because they ministered unto them before their idols and' 
caused the house of Israel to fall unto iniquity therefore have 
I lifted up mine hand against them saith the Lord God; and 
they shall bear their iniquity. 

"And they shall not come near unto me to do the office 
of priest unto me nor to come near to any of my holy things 
in most holy places. But they shall bear their shame and 
their abominations which they have committed. 

"But I will make them keepers of the charge of the house 
for all the service thereof and for all that shall be done therein. 

"But the priests, the Levites, and the sons of Zadak, that 
kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel 
went astray from me. 

"They shall come near to me to minister unto me and 
they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the 
blood, saith the Lord God. 

"They shall enter unto my sanctuary and they shall come 
near to my table to minister unto me and they shall keep my 
charge. 

'And it shall come to pass that when they enter into the 
gates of the near court, they shall be clothed with linen gar- 



204 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

ments and no wool shall come upon them while they minister 
in the gates of the inner court and within. They shall wear 
linen bonnets upon their heads and shall have linen breeches 
on the loins. They shall not girt themselves with anything 
that causeth sweat. 

"And when they go forth unto the outer court, even unto 
the uttermost to the people they shall put off their garments 
wherein they ministered and lay them in the holy cham- 
bers; and .they shall put on other garments and they shall 
not sanctify the people with their garments. 

"Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their 
locks to grow long. They shall only poll their heads. 

"Neither shall any priest drink wine when they enter 
into the inner court. Neither shall they take for their wives 
a widow nor her that is put away ; hut they shall take maidens 
of the seed of the house of Israel or widow that had a priest 
before. 

"And they shall teach my people the difference between 
the holy and the profane and cause them to discern between 
the clean and the unclean. 

"And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and 
they shall judge it according to my judgment; and they shall 
keep my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies ; and they 
shall hallow my Sabbaths. 

"And they shall come at no dead person to defile them^ 
: selves ; but for father or for mother, or for son or for daugh- 
ter, for brother or for sister that hath had no husband they 
may defile themselves. 

"And after he is cleansed they shall reckon unto him 
: seven days. And on the day that he goeth into the sanctuary 




THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 205 

unto the inner court to minister to the sanctuary, he shall of- 
fer his sin offering, saith the Lord God. And it shall be unto 
him an inheritance ; I am their inheritance, and ye shall give 
them no possessions in Israel. I am their possession. 

^They shall eat the hurnt offerings and the sin offerings 
and the trespass offering and every dedicated thing in Israel 
shall be theirs. 

"And the first of all the first fruits of all things and 
every oblation of all of every sort of your oblations shall be the 
priests : Ye shall also give unto the priests the first of your 
dough that they may cause the blessings to rest in thy house. 

"The priest shall not eat of anything that is dead of it- 
self or torn whether it be fowl or beast.^^ 

The fourth verse is magnificent and shows to us that the 
natural man cannot look upon the glory of God for when he 
beheld it he fell upon his face. If this be true, and it is, 
how careful we ought to be and how earnest we ought to seek 
some humble place there. This is the only way we can obtain 
it, to be faithful and seek it. "And the glory filled the house 
of the Lord.^^ What a grand sight this must have been. Let 
us all live so that we may behold it, that we may live there, 
that even sinners like us may possess some little part of that 
glorious building not made with hands. 

"Behold I will send my messenger and he shall prepare 
the way before me and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly 
come to his temple ; even the messenger of the covenant whom 
we delight in, behold he shall come saith the Lord of hosts. 

"But who may abide the day of his coming? And who 
shall stand when he appeareth ? For he is like a refiner's fire ■ 
and like a fuller's soap. 



■206 THE OBJECT OF FREE, MASONRY. 

"And he shall set as a refiner and purifier of silver, and 
he shall purify the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and 
-silver. 

"That they may offer unto the Lord an offering in 
righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judea and Jerusa- 
lem be pleasant unto the Lord as in the days of old and as in 
former years. 

"And I will come near to you to judgment and I will 
be a swift witness against the socerers and against the adul- 
terers, and against false swearing, and against those that op- 
press the hireling in his wages, the widow and the fatherless 
and they that turn aside the stranger from his right and fear 
not me," saith the Lord of hosts. 

"For I am the Lord, I change not, therefore ye sons of 
Jacob are not consumed. 

"Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away 
from mine ordinance and have not kept them ; return unto me 
and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye 
said, wherein shall we return ? 

"Will a man rob God? yet ye have robbed me; but ye 
. say wherein have we robbed thee ? In tithes and offerings. 

"Ye are cursed with a curse, ye have robbed even this 
whole nation. 

"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse that there may 
be meat in my house and prove me now herewith, saith the 
Lord of hosts. I will open you the windows of Heaven and 
pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to 
receive it. 

"And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes and he shall 
not destroy the fruits of your ground ; neither shall your vine 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 207 

■cast her fruit before the time in the field/^ saith the Lord of 
Hosts. 

"And all nations shall call you blessed, for ye shall be a 
delightsome land, saith the Lord of Hosts. 

"Your words have been shut against me, saith the Lord, 
yet ye say what have we spoken so much against thee? 

"Ye have said, it is vain to serve God ; and what profit is 
it that we have kept his ordinances, and that we have walked 
mournfully before the Lord of Hosts? 

"And now we call the proud happy; yet they that work 
wickedness are set up; yea they that tempt God are even de- 
livered. 

"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to an- 
other; and the Lord barkened and heard it and a book of 
rememberance was written before him for them that feared 
the Lord and that thought upon his name. 

"And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in thai 
day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them as a 
man spareth his own son that serveth him. 

"Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous 
and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that 
serveth him not." 

This is a wonderful chapter, read it carefully. 

"But who may abide the day of his coming?'^ 

This is a question I ask you my brother; will you be 
able to stand in that great day? You will only be able to 
stand if your robe has been washed and made white or clean 
in the blood of the Lamb. 

Hear what he says in the seventh verse. "Even from 
the days of your fathers ye have gone away from my ordin- 



208 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

ances." Look at the action of your lodge my brother, are 
they going away from the ordinances of G-od? Do they talk 
much about the service of God? or do they meet in a 
careless slipshod way, hurry through the opening and closing 
exercises and then hurry home? • If you do the ordinances of 
the Lord are not properly observed ; but, says one, "what ordi- 
nances do we agree to observe V You, my brother, know full 
well that you have agreed to prepare your body as a living 
stone for that spiritual building, that house not made with 
hands. Eternal in the Heavens; and he says, you have not 
kept them ; have not kept what ? You have not kept his ordi- 
nances; you have been violating them if you have not kept 
them. 

Listen to what he says : "Eeturn unto me and I will re- 
turn unto you," saith the Lord of Hosts. 

"Blessed promise; the Lord is good; his mercy endureth 
forever." Do you believe this? "Yes," says the reader, 
"certainly I believe it." 

Then if you do the Lord of Hosts says, "If you love me 
keep my commandments." 

The remainder of the chapter is full of Gods goodness and 
a manifestation of his mercy and long suffering towards the 
children of men. 

Fourth or last chapter in the Old Bible. "For behold, the 
day cometh that shall burn as an oven ; and all the proud, yea 
and all that do wickedly shall be stubble and the day that 
cometh shall burn them up saith the Lord of Hosts; that it 
shall leave them neither root nor branch. 

"But unto you that fear my name shall the sun of right- 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 309 

eousness arise with healing in his wings and ye shall go forth 
and grow up as calves of the stall. 

*^And ye shall tread down the wicked for they shall be 
ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do 
this/^ saith the Lord of Hosts. 

"Eemember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I 
commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel with the stautes 
and judgments. 

"Behold I will send you Elijah, the prophet before the 
coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. 

"And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the child- 
ren and the hearts of the children to their fathers lest I come 
and smite the earth with a curse." (End of the old Bible.) 
What shall the harvest be ? 



210 THE OBJECT OF FKEE MASON"EY. 



CHAPTEEXXIV. 

We desire to call your attention to the words in the sec- 
ond verse, "but unto you that fear my name shall the sun of 
righteousness arise with healing in his wings and ye shall go 
forth and grow up as calves of the stall.'^ 

You will see that the word sun has reference to the lum- 
inary that rules the day from the way it is spelled; the sun 
then shines and dispels the darkness; it penetrates all the 
dark places of earth and they give way to its effulgent rays 
like the dews in the morning. Even the most benighted com- 
ers and caverns of earth wherever a ray can and does pene- 
trate, darkness is dispelled. The sun here is likened unto the 
son of God, who shines into the hearts of men when they 
ask him in the right spirit. 

When they ask him in faith believing that he is a re- 
warder of those that diligently seek him. Then to all we 
say, let the sun of righteousness with healing in his wings 
shine in your heart. Shine on, 0, Lamb of God until you 
penetrate the darkness of the darkest recesses of earth. Shine 
on until sin and vice shall be banished from earths remotest 
bound. Shine on until the Heathen shall abandon his idols 
and turn to thee. Shine on until the wickedness of the 
world shall be destroyed and righteousness shall prevail. Shine 
on, Oh, Son of God until the kingdoms of this world shall 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 211 

become the worshippers of our God. Shine on until thy 
spirit shall subdue the evil spirit that dwells in the hearts of 
the brethren of the mystic tie; and prepare then for the su- 
preme lodge above. 

Then, my brother, and not until then will the great ob- 
ject of Masonry be obtained. 

First John, 14th chapter: "Let not your heart be trou- 
bled ; ye believe in God believe also in me. In my father's house 
are many mansions ; if it were not so I would have told you. I 
go to prepare a place for you. 

"I will come again and receive you unto myself that where 
I am there ye may be also." 

"And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 

Thomas saith unto him, "Lord we know not whither thou 
goest and how can we know the way? 

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way the truth and the 
life. No man cometh unto the father but by me. 

"If ye had known me ye should have known my father 
also and from henceforth ye know him and have seen him. 

"Philip saith unto him, Lord show us the father and it 
sufficeth us. 

"Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long here with 
you and yet hast thou not known me, Philip ? He that hath 
seen me hath seen the father ; and how sayest thou, show us the 
father ? 

"Believest thou not that I am in the father and the 
father in me ? 

"The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself ; 
but the father that dwelleth in me he doeth the works. 



212 THE OBJECT OF EREE MASONRY. 

"Believe me that I am the father and the father in me or 
else believe me for the very works sake. 

'Eerily, verily, I say unto you he that believeth on me 
the works that I do shall be done also and greater works than 
these shall he do ; because I go unto my father. 

"And whatsoever ye ask in my name that will I do that 
the father may be glorified in the son. 

"If ye shall ask anything in my name I will do it. 

"If ye love me keep my commandments. I will pray 
the Father and he will give you another comfort; that he 
may abide with you forever. 

"Even the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive 
because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him ; but ye know- 
eth him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you. 

"I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you. 

"Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more; but 
ye see me. 

"Because I live ye live also. At that day ye shall know 
that I am in my father and ye in me I in you. 

"He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it 
is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my 
father ; and I will love him and will manifest myself to him. 

"Judas saith unto him, Lord how it is that thou wilt 
manifest thyself unto us and not unto the world ? 

"Jesus answered and said unto him, if a man love me he 
will keep my words and my father will love him and we will 
come unto him and make our abode with him. 

"And he that loveth me not, keepeth not my sayings and 
the word which ye hear is not mine but the fathers which sent 
me. 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 213 

"These things have I spoken unto you being yet present 
with you. 

"But the comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the 
Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things and 
bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said 
unto you. 

"My peace give I unto you, not as the world giveth give 
I unto you; Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be 
afraid : 

"Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away and 
come again unto you. 

"If ye loved me ye would rejoice because I said I go unto 
my father; for my father is greater than I. 

"Now I have told you before it oame to pass that when 
it is come to pass ye might believe. 

"Hereafter, I will not talk much with you for the Prince 
of this world cometh and hath nothing in me. 

"But that the world may know that I love the father and 
as the father gave me commandments even so do I. 

"Arise let us go in peace.'' 

0, what wonderful words ; words of consolation to the be- 
lievers. Take the thirteenth verse, "and whatsoever ye shall 
ask in my name that will I do that the Father may be glorified 
in the Son.'' 

My dear reader, do yoti believe this ? If you do not you 
are not a Master Mason and never ought to be. In fact you 
never willbe until you believe what is contained in this verse 
and in this chapter. 

You may be a Master Mason in name but you are not in 
fact a Mason. 



214 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

"Whatsoever ye ask in my name that will I do/' Have 
yon ever asked anything in the name of the son of God? If 
you have honestly and faithfully you have received it, and if 
you have not received it you can depend upon it that you are 
to blame; you have not asked right. If you are not satisfied 
try again and have faith that he will do what he promises to 
do and remember that without faith it is impossible to please 
God or to do his will. , 

"If ye shall ask me anything in my name I will do it." 

What a promise: Then my brother, if you never have 
asked the son of God to forgive your sins, now is the time, and 
the accepted time and to you and to me it is the time if we 
have not done so before. Delays are dangerous for we know 
not how soon we will be called on to go from this to that undis- 
covered country from whose bourne no traveler returns. 

We belong to the fraternity ; we have said by that act that 
the Bible is true ; but we must try to live up to its teachings. 
We assure you on the word of God that unless you do you will 
never be able to sit in the Supreme Lodge above where the 
father of us all presides. 

16th and 17th verses. "And I will pray the father and 
he will give you another conforter, even the spirit of truth 
whom the world cannot receive." 

This is the evidence. My Dear Eeader, the "other comfor- 
ter," the spirit of truth which will accompany us all along the 
journey of life and then we may know that we have passed 
from death into life because we love the brethren; but, says 
one, 0, I have heard the preacher say this so often, it has 
got to be an old song, and father and mother have tried to get 
me to believe this until I have become disgusted with the 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 215 

whole thing. Oh, my reader, is this possible that you will use 
such language as this, and you a Mason ? If this is your opin- 
ion now and you even have thought this, never repeat it 
again; go my brother, straight to the son of Grod the Lord 
Jesus Christ and confess your sins. Do not delay; or leave 
the fraternity at once. Eemember that God is not mocked; 
that whatsoever a man sows, that shall he reap. You are 
lost ; you are in your sins, in the gaul of bitterness and bonds 
of iniquity. Have you ever earnestly prayed to the Lord to 
save you? 

If you have not, do it now; you need it, you need this 
comforter, this spirit of truth to direct you along the journey 
of life and without it you never can reach the promised land. 
You never can become a member of the Supreme Lodge above ; 
this is not my statement; it is written in the Book of the 
Law. 

It has been so since Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden 
fruit. We all ought to be so thankful that this grand provi- 
sion has been made for our escape. Let us all flee at once from 
the wrath to com.e on us, by repenting and asking and receiv- 
ing this comforter; the spirit of truth which shall never for- 
sake us, but will go with us all the way ; even across death's 
cold icy stream. Asleep in Jesus; Oh, how sweet. Do you 
want this, my brother ? May the Lord help you to receive it 
and treasure it up in a good and honest heart. 

117th Psalm. "Praise ye the Lord all ye nations, praise 
him all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward 
us and the truth of the Lord endureth forever. Praise ye the 
Lord.'^ 

We say to the fraternity throughout the world, adopt this 



216 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

chapter as your motto engage in nothing unless you can do 
it all in the name of the Lord. He is good His mercy en- 
dureth forever. 

133rd Psalm. "Behold how good and how pleasant it is 
for brethren to dwell together in unity. 

"It is like the precious ointment upon the head ; that ran 
down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard, that went down the 
skirts of his garments. 

"As the dew of Hermon and as the dew that descended 
upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commended 
the blessings of life forever more.'^ 

This beautiful chapter, read this my dear reader, as you 
never head it before. Pray the Lord to help you to fully un- 
derstand this chapter. 

Think of the dew of Hermon and as the Lord commanded 
his blessing there may he command his blessing, even life for- 
ever more, on you, my dear reader. For it has been written 
and repeated: "Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord; 
they cease from their labors and their works do follow them. 
My dear brethren, we that have been so highly favored, we 
have been fitly taught the object of Masonry in the lodge 
room, in the church, at the funeral, when we deposited the 
sprig of acasia that it shall bloom again. How shall we es- 
cape if we neglect so great salvation? 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 217 



CHAPTER XXV. 

Ecc. 12th chapter. "Eemember now thy creator in the 
days of thy youth while the evil days come. not near, nor the 
years draw nigh. When thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in 
them. 

"While the sun or the light or the moon or the stars be not 
darkened nor the clouds return after the rain. 

"In the days when the keepers of the house shall tremble 
and the strong men shall bow themselves and the grinders cease 
because they are few; and those that look out of the window 
be darkened. 

"And the doors shall be shut in the street when the sound 
of the grinders are low; and he shall rise up at the voice of 
the bird and all the daughters of music shall be brought low. 

"Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high; 
and fears shall be in the way and the almond tree shall 
flourish; and the grasshopper shall be a burden and desire 
shall fail because man goeth to his long home and the mourn- 
ers go about the street. 

"Or ever the silver cord be loosed or the golden bowl be 
T)roken or the pitcher be broken at the fountain or the wheel 
broken at the cistern. 

"Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was and the 
spirit shall return unto God, who gave it. 



318 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

"Vanity of Vanities, saith the preacher, all is vanity. 

"Moreover, because the preacher was wise he still taught 
the people knowledge. 

"Yea, he gave good heed and sought out and set in order 
many proverbs. 

"The preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and 
that which was, was written upright, even words of truth. 

"The words of the wise are as goads and as nails fastened 
by the master of assemblies, which are given from one shep- 
herd. And further, by these, my son, be admonished of 
making many books; there is no end. And much study is a 
weariness of the flesh. 

"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter ; fear God 
and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of 
man. 

"For God shall bring every work into judgment with 
every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil."" 

This is one of the most beautiful chapters in the Bible. 
The 7th verse is the main one in this chapter. 

"Then shall the dust return to earth and the spirit shall 
return unto God who gave it." 

This establishes the fact that the whole human family 
after death returns to God, but it does not always say that it 
remains there. 

We are taught by other passages of the scripture that the 
spirits of the whole human family must appear before the 
judge of the dead. There they must give an account of the 
deeds done in the body. 

The righteous shall hear the welcome approbation, inherit 
the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the 



THE OBJECT OE FREE MASONRY. 219 

world; and to the wicked he will say, "depart from me, I never 
knew jou." Oh, my dear reader, this is the decree; it has 
gone forth ; it has been made and all the living must abide by 
it. It is just. Our prayer to God is that all mankind may 
fully understand this to be true ; but especially, the brethren of 
the fraternity everywhere : then in conclusion we say these, or 
the foregoing propositions are what we consider to be the 
object of Free Masonry, and on this plane Free Masonry 
moves majestically along with the stream of time, moulding 
the character of man, acknowledging her indebtedness to the 
past, her obligations to the present and the future. Fully 
realizing her grand scope and broad field of mission ; keeping 
true to her ancient landmarks, scattering benevolence in her~ 
path in active work and charity to all that may come within 
the sphere of her influence; and as each member of the craft, 
mindful of his own responsibility acts faithfully his part in 
the lodge on earth and awaits the Supreme Master's man- 
date, summoning him to the Supreme Lodge in Heaven, look& 
forward with glorious anticipations and holy aspirations to 
that sublime event which shall admit him to the glorious broth- 
erhood of the redeemed, in the presence of all the good and 
great— then, after a well spent life here below, now forever 
in the presence of the great I am, where Love, Joy, Happiness 
and a glorious redemption, giving Cod the glory and knowing- 
that immortality shall be his portion for ever and ever— then 
and not till then can we claim to be an heir and brother of the 
Man of Galilee. 



220 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

I am on shining pathway, adown life's shortning years, 
And my heart hath known its sorrows, mine eyes have seen their 
tears. 

But I saw those shadows flee, and a shining light I see, 
While I am trusting in the merit of the Man of Galilee. 

My soul hath had its conflicts, with the mighty hosts of sin, 
With deadly foes without me, and darker foes within. 

But I saw those legions flee, and my soul found victory, 
When I trusted in the merits of the Man of Galilee. 

I am coming near the city, my Savior's hands have piled, 
And I know my Father's waiting to welcome home his child. 

For unworthy tho' I be he will find a place for me. 
For he is the King of Glory — the Man of Galilee. 

"To Err is human, to forgive Divine.'^ 

When God conceived the thought of man's creation; He 
called to his assistance, three Cardinal principles, Justice, 
Truth and Mercy, and addressed them thus : 

Shall we make this man? 

"Oh God, make him not said Justice sternly, for he will 
surely violate thy law.^' 

What saith thou, Truth : 

"Oh God make him not, none is perfect hut God, he will 
surely sin against thee." 

And Mercy what saith thou. Mercy falling on her 
" knees and looking up through her tears, exclaimed : 

"Oh God make him and I will watch over him with my 
care through all the dark paths he may have to tread :'' Thus 
my Brother God created man : 

And said : "Oh man thou art the child of Mercy go and 
deal mercifully with all thy Brothers." 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 221. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

We here add an explanation of the prophecy of Daniel,, 
and we are greatly indebted to F. R. Shafer, of San Francisco^ 
Calif., for assistence on this subject. 

We think it may come under the head of any of the- 
following subjects. 

First, God^s great telescope. 

Second, the Future penetrated. 

Third, The world's history foretold in the Bible. 

Fourth, God, the Author of the Bible. 

The God of nature has written his existence in all his 
works and law in the heart of men. He has also written his 
character in the Bible and his providence among the Nations. 

History therefore, with its dusty and mouldering pages 
is to us as sacred a volume as the book of nature because history 
properly studied is but the study of the grand purposes of' 
God with men and nations. It is evident therefore, that the- 
proper study of history can be made only upon the basis of the 
Word of God, the Bible. Upon this basis we will study the 
history of the world from the time of Babylon to the end ot 
time and over into the Eternal state. 

Prophecy is God's great telescope by which he penetrates 
the future and portrays the history of coming events upon the- 



222 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

prophetic page with uiierring accuracy. In it are given -unto 
us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.. 

2nd Peter, 7th and 8th. "Also every deception, heresay 
and false teaching that ever have or will be sprnng upon the 
world by Satan and false teachers, are all noted upon the great 
prophetic chart of the scriptures of truth. 

If we study a lesson from history as simply detailed of a 
number of battles fought, so many killed and the names of 
the commanders, we miss the lesson that the Lord would have 
us learn. We must study the lesson of history, what it teaches 
that we may comprehend God^s great plan in his over ruling 
providence among the children of man, in carrying out and 
bringing to a successful issue, his original design in the crea- 
tion of the earth and of its inhabitants. 

In 2nd Peter, 1-19, Peter says, "We have also a more 
sure word of prophecy where unto, ye do well that ye take 
heed as unto -a light that shineth in a dark place." This world 
is full of darkness, and the Lord tells us to take heed to what 
he says in his sure word of prophesy; and this includes the 
old testament scriptures of the prophets. For Peter says, 
(2nd Peter 3-1-2,) "I stir up your pure minds by way of 
remembrance, that ye may be mindful of the words that were 
spoken before by the holy prophet. 

In Isaiah, 41-29-21 231, the Lord speaks to a people that 
had gods of wood and stone, and established a test by which it 
could be proved whether they were God, or not; for he says, v. 
21, "Bring forth your strong reasons." and adds further, v. 
25, "Show the things that are to come hereafter that we may 
know that ye are gods." 

Of course they could not do this, therefore, it was proved 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 223 

they were false. But this test is also given to be applied to the 
Bible, to prove that its author is the infinite and all wise God. 
to whom the future is an open book, knowing the end from 
the beginning, and is a lover of truth keeping his promises, 
fulfilling his word, doing just what he said in his revealed 
written word, and just as he has said it; meaning that his 
word is true and that his promises are steadfast for he says 
just what he means and makes it so plain that a fool need not 
err therein: "Yea, let God be true, but every man a liar.'' 
(Romans, 3-4.) 

"Show the things that are to come hereafter." The Bible 
bears this test absolutely in every instance, its prophetic pre- 
dictions come up to the mark. 
"Not one faileth." 

We will take the second chapter of the Book of Daniel as 
an example of the true word of prophecy which Peter speaks 
(2nd Peter 1-19,) in which are given an outline of the worlds 
history in advance for thousands of years from the time of 
Babylon to the end of time. 

' Nebuchadnezzer, who was King of Babylon (Deu, i-i) 
has a wonderful vision or dream, and this was given to him 
by God for the purpose of making known the true God to the 
King and people of Babylon as well as to us, that we may 
see the way marks of the great higliway of time in which are 
written by the finger of God and given to us as a light to keep 
us straight and on the right track, and by this we can detect 
the master workings of Satan's deceptions, and thus escape 
them. 

"Nebuchadnezzer did not remember the dream; the im- 
pression was left and it troubled him, therefore he called for 



224 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers and the Chaldeans to 
show the King his dream, (v. 1-3.) These were a class of 
men who worked upon the credulity of the king, claiming 
that they had the knowledge and power to reveal the future and 
explain secret things. The King replied to their request for 
him to -tell them the dream, that it had gone from him, and 
then seeing through their lying and fraud he demanded of 
them to make known the dream and the interpretation and 
adds, "for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak 
before me till the time be changed; therefore tell me the 
dream and I shall know that ye can show me the interpretation 
thereof.^' (v. 5-9.) The king was quite logical for de- 
manding of them that they should make known to him his 
dreamj so he might have confidence in their interpretation, 
but they had to confess that they could not tell the dream, 
nor any man upon the earth, only God whose dwelling was 
not with flesh. 

V. 10-11. "They were caught in a trap ; they had to con- 
fess that their gods were false. This was all brought about 
by the over-ruling providence of God. The Lord kept his own 
servant and prophet in the background until these heathens 
were first tested, and admitted and confessed that there was 
no life and power in them, in a public manner, so that the 
king and all the world might know that the God of Heaven, 
that he was and is the true God. 

"The king, discovering by this confession that they had 
been playing on his credulity became angry and very furious 
and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon, (v. 
12.) 

Just at this time the prophet Daniel, who being about 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONEY. 225 

twenty years of age, was brought "upon the scene of action 
and into this case; and his first call and notification was for 
him and his companions to be executed. Not a very pleas- 
ant summons surely; but God's hand was in this; Daniel had 
developed an unflinching integrity and trust in the God of 
Israel that called him to be hi? embassador at the court of 
Babylon^ to truly represent him and trust in the protection 
of the Almighty. 

Daniel enquired why the decree was so hasty ; then were 
the facts in the case explained to him by the King's officer* 
Daniel sought for, and obtained tim'e which he and his fol- 
lowers improved by seeking the Lord, concerning this secret, 
and was rewarded by having it revealed to him. 

V. 15-23. 'So after this, Daniel could speak with con- 
fidence and assurance, for he had received a message from the 
court of Heaven, the Monarch of the Universe, to the King 
and court of Babylon, the Euler of the known world. 

Daniel was requested to be brought before the King, stat- 
ing that he would make known the dream with the interpre- 
tation thereof. 

(V. 24-25.) Let us look on this wonderful scene, permit 
your mind in Fancy's sketch to turn to the court of Babylon's 
georgeous palaces where Nebucliadnezzer, the King sits in un- 
disputed dominion of universal empire. 

Here, Daniel, a young man a captive of Judah, stands- 
with the eyes of all turned upon him, claiming and professing 
that he could tell the dream to tlie king with the interpretation 
thereof. Eemember, the king must have had vividly in mind, 
the ab.solute failure of all the great, noble and wise men of his 
empire to make this known. He would naturally doubt the 



226 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

ability of this unpretentious youth to do what they had all 
failed to accomplish. Notice the exclamation of doubt by the 
king in v. 26, where he said to Daniel; "Art thou able to 
make known unto me the dream which I have seen, with the 
interpretation thereof," just as much as to say, "all the wise 
and great men of my empire failed to make this known, there- 
fore I don't believe that you can do it." And just so is it to- 
day; people look too much to the great and wise, not those 
that claim they are wise, the speculators and the theorists, and 
science falsely so-called. 

Men may speculate, but the meek and the teachable who 
believe God's word just the way he speaks it and what he says, 
now. "Praise the Lord for his glorious • word ; may it be 
hid in our hearts that we may not sin against him." Notice in 
V. 27-28, how boldly Daniel answered the king, "Your as- 
trologers and magicians cannot show you ; no they do not know 
the true God," and says (v. 28,) "but there is a God in 
Heaven that reveals secrets and maketh known to the king, 
Nebuchadnezzer what shall be in the latter days," and in v. 29, 
Daniel tells the king what his thoughts were, "As for thee 0, 
King, thy thoughts came into thy mind on thy bed what should 
come to pass hereafter." 

The above promises to foretell the future from that time 
to the end, and in v. 30 he says, "That thou mightest know the 
thoughts of thy heart," and those thoughts were, (v. 29,) 
"what should come to pass hereafter." 

Here Daniel makes known to the king his dream. Let us 
read v. 31 to 35 in conclusion. "Thou 0, King sawest and 
beheld a great image; this great image whose brightness was 
excellent stood before thee and the form thereof was terrible. 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 227 

This image's head was of fine gold and his breast and his arms 
were of silver ; his belly and his thighs were of brass ; his legs 
of iron ; his feet part of iron and part of clay. 

"Thou sawest until that a stone was cut out without 
hands which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron 
and clay and broke them to pieces. Then was the iron, the 
clay and the brass, the silver and the gold broken to pieces to- 
gether and became like chaff of the summer threshing floor, 
and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for 
them; and the stone that smote the image became a great 
mountain and filled the whole earth.'' 

This is a remarkable dream that no man could interpre- 
tate, notice how confidently, Daniel in v. 26 says. "This is th-e 
dream." As he stood before tl.'e Monarch of the then known 
world, no cringing apology fjr Daniel; God had spoken to 
him, (v. 19-23,) and he believed God's word and knew what 
he was talking about. 

When God speaks let us stand up for the word of truth 
in our God given dignity if it leads to the den of lions, the fiery 
furnace, the garden of Gethsemane, Pilate's judgment hall, or 
the cross of calvary. 

The Lord seeks to reproduce himself in the person of his 
followers. "Lord here I am send me. Let this be our senti- 
ment ; and he further adds "and we will show the interpreta- 
tion thereof before the king." 

In v. 37-28, he states that ^"ebuchadnezzer was a king of 
kings, that he was a universal monarch and that he ruled 
wheresoever the children of men dwelled; and states to the 
king, "thou art this Head of Gold," as Nebuchadnezzer was 
king of Babylon and this represents its power. So we are 



228 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

plainly told that the head of gold represents the kingdom .of 
Babylon. 

In V. 39, we find that Babylon was to be represented by 
an inferior kingdom, also by a third kingdom of brass which 
was to rule over all the earth. 

Notice that the kingdoms spoken of are no ordinary 
kingdoms, such as we have at present, but universal ruling the 
known world, one superseding the other of which there were 
to be just four in number, and the fourth was to be divided or 
broken and remain in that state to the end of time, and it is 
then that the Lord shall set up his kingdom, that is in the 
days of the kingdoms, coming out of the broken fourth empire, 
which was Rome; and its division or fragments are now the 
territory and kingdoms comprising Europe. 

In the 40th verse, the fourth kingdom is introduced 
which should be strong as iron and was to subdue all things 
and break in pieces and bruise. Notice the language; "This 
was to be a universal power, the iron kingdom referring to the 
legs of iron of the image, the fourth and last." 

Verse 41, in speaking of the iron kingdom states that it 
should be divided, this being so will give a number or plurality 
of kings, reigning at one time. 

Verse 44, states that, "in the days of these kings shall 
the God of Heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be des- 
troyed and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it 
shall break into pieces and consume all these kingdoms and 
it shall stand forever." 

There will be only four universal empires on the earth 
from the time of Babylon to the end of time. The fourth was 
to be divided into a number of kingdoms and they were to 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASOIsTRY. 229 

continue to the time when the Lord was to set up his king- 
dom on this earth; and all earthly powers would then be des- 
troyed. 

This brings to view the cleansing of this earth from sin, 
sorrow and corruption, a new earth prepared for the happy 
home of those who love the Lord, where, "nothing shall enter 
that loveth and maketh a lie." 

ISTames of the four kingdoms : 1st, Babylon represented 
by the Head of Gold, (v. 2-27-28,) 2nd, Medo Persia, rep- 
resented by the breast and arms of silver of the image. In the 
fifth chapter of Daniel, verse thirty-one, we have an account of 
Belshazzer^s feast and the hand writing of God on the wall. 

Belshazzer was of Babylon and at the idolatrous feast. 
Because of the ignoring of the God of Heaven the Angel wrote 
his doom on the wall, which caused the drunken Belshazzer to 
tremble. 

Daniel was called to read the writing and to interpret it, 
first; stating to the king that he had lifted his hand against the 
Lord of Heaven, and then reading the writing, (v. 24-31.) 
"Thou art weighed in the balance and found wanting.'^ and 
finally said, "thy kingdom is divided and given to the Medes 
and Persians." 

History shows that Babylon was conquered by Cyrus of 
the Medes and Persians, 538 B. C The Bible said it would 
be so and history confirms it. 

Name of the third: Grecia Alexandria the Great. In 
the 8th chapter of Daniel, Daniel had a vision in which he says, 
"a nameless symbol, (v. 1-8,) a ram and a goat." We are not 
left to speculate as to the meaning of these symbols for in the 
16th verse of this chapter, we read that the Angel Gabriel was 



230 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

commissioned to make Daniel understand this vision. Let 
us see what the Angel says the ram represents. The Angel 
answers in v. 20th, "The Earn Avhich thou sawest having two 
horns are the kings of Media and Persia." 

There is no guess work about that ; when the Lord reveals, 
he make it plain that a fool can see it, so "he need not err 
therein;" and of the good the Angel says in verse 21, "and the 
rough gaul is the king of Grecia, and the great horn that is 
between his eyes is the first king." 

Remember now the Angel said, "the ram was Media and 
Persia and the goat smote the ram that is Media and Persia, 
and the goat is Grecia. Then Grecia was to smite and conquer 
Media and Persia," and adds that "the great horn between 
his eyes is the first King," remember the Angel said that "the 
Eam was Media and Persia, and the goat smote the Eam that is 
Media and Persia, and the Goat is Grecia; then Grecia was 
to smite and conquer Media and Persia, and adds that the great 
horn between his eyes is the first King." 

History records the fact that Alexander the Great did 
conquer the kingdom of Media and Persia at the battle of 
Arabella, 331, B. C, and this makes Alexander the Great the 
first King of the universal empire of Grecia. 

He was pointed out in God's great prophetic telescope of 
coming events centuries before he was born. He reigned eight 
years and finally died at Babylon as a result of excessive in- 
temperance. He left a son and brother and neither attained 
the kingdom. They were married, and, after confusion and 
war they were divided into four parts by his four leading 
generals, Cassander, Lysemachus, Seclucus and Ptolmy, each 
taking a part thus fulfilling Daniel, 8th, 22nd, "Now being 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 231 

broken whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms sliall 
stand up out of the nation but not on his power.'' 

And thus it always is, we have a God that can reveal sec- 
rets; he points out the way for his children, let us walk in it. 
Surely the Lord God will do nothing but he revealeth his 
secrets to his servants, the peoples arms. 

"Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God.'^ 
(John 14, 1.) 

The name of the fourth kingdom is "The Roman Em- 
pire." We have found the names of three kingdoms out of 
the four, Babylon, Medo Persia and Grecia, and if we can find 
one more universal Empire in the Bible, that must be the 
fourth one. 

In Luke 2-1-11, we have an account of the birth of Christ 
and in the first verse we read, "and it came to pass in those 
days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that 
all the world should be taxed." 

Sending out such a decree shows that he ruled the world. 
Caesar Augustus was Emperor of Rome when Christ was born. 
History proves that Rome ruled the world in its day. Gibbon, 
the great historian, states that the Roman Empire filled the 
world and also calls it, "The iron Monarchy of ' Rome." the 
very symbol of the prophesy, "the legs of iron." 

Here we have the four kingdoms named as follows : 

First, Babylon, second, Medo Persia, third Grecia, fourth- 
Rome. In Daniel 2 :41, the fourth kingdom is introduced in 
verse 41, states that the kingdom shall be divided. It men- 
tions the iron, thus showing it refers to the fourth kingdom. 
Has the Roman Empire been divided? History answers and 
says, yes, it was divided between about, 351 and 483 A. D. into 



233, THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONEY. 

ten kingdoms and they are the kingdoms of Europe which in 
history are known as the ten kingdoms of Eome. 

In the seventh chapter of Daniel, verses 7-23-24, the Eom- 
an Empire is shown under the symbol of a great and terrible 
beast which had ten horns and these ten horns were the ten 
kingdomis into which the Eoman Empire was divided. 

The names of the ten kingdoms were as follows: (in- 
cluding the dates of their separation from Eome.) 

1. Almain (Germany) A. D. 351. 

2. Franks (France) A. D. 351. 

3. Burgundians (Scotland) A. D. 406. 

4. Vandals, A. D. 406. 

5. Servia (Portugal) A. D. 406. 

6. Visigoth (Spain) A. D. 408. 

7. Saxon (England) A. D. 449. 

8. Lombards (Italy) A. D. 453. 

9. Ostergoths A. D. 453. 

10. Hemil A. D. 475. 

The 43rd verse states that they shall mingle themselves 
with the seed of men, but they shall not cleave one to another. 
This refers to the Boyal families of the Ten Kingdoms of 
Europe. 

They have and continue to inter-marry among themselves, 
but the prophesy says, that they should not succeed the king- 
doms and they have not. 

Their object would be to reunite the broken fragments 
of the Eoman Empire and if this should be accomplished how 
could the Lord set up his kingdom in the days of these kings 
if they did not exist? 

We read in John 10-35, that, '^the scripture cannot be 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 233 

broken/^ We will give a few examples of the wonderful man- 
ner in which the Lord fulfilled his word. The present King 
of England, Edward YII, ruler of one of the ten kingdoms, 
and the predecessor of the present Czar of Eussia, Minerva 
sister of the Princess of Denmark, and the present Czar mar- 
ried. Princess Mary, Queen Victoria's Grand-daughter, and 
also one of his sons the Duke of Troy, married the Czar 
of Eussia's sister. 

They are mingled in marriage. Question: Does Eng- 
land and Eussia cleave together? No, the present Emperor 
of Germany is Queen Victoria's grand son. Napoleon is an- 
other example; he was ruler of France, one of the ten king- 
doms, he was amhitious to bring Europe under his dominion, 
:and became involved with a war with the greater part of 
Europe. He divorced his first wife, whom he really loved and 
made a mjarriage with Austria by marrying one of their prin- 
oesses. 

Is it not wonderfully strange in the manifestation of the 
over-ruling providence of God in carrying out his purpose and 
plans as foretold in his revealed written word, that the very 
power that he allied himself with is the one that was instru- 
mental in crushing him in the traps of Blucher at the battle of 
IVaterloo, which were Austrian troops. 

When the Lord said, speaking of the divided or broken up 
Homan Empire in verse 44 that "in the days of those kings 
shall the God of Heaven set up a kingdom which shall never 
be distroyed." He will see to it that those kingdoms will be 
1;here and remain divided until he sets up his kingdom. 

His word cannot fail. A few scratches of the prophetic 



234 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

pen are stronger than all of Napolean's hosts, and armies of 
earth. 

Different ones tried to reunite the ten kingdoms, the 
fragments of the once mighty Eoman empire. Charles the 
Fifth, Louis the Sixteenth and Charlemagne. 

Eome is still divided; its fragments remain in the pow- 
erful kingdoms of Europe. Mighty, mighty monuments, prov- 
ing that the word of God shall^ stand forever. 

Where do we stand in the line of prophecy? Are we in 
the head of Gold or the image of Babylon? No, it passed- 
away in 538 B. C. being conquered by Cyrus of the Medes and 
Persians. Are we in the breast and arms of silver, the Medes 
and Persians? No; they reigned for 207 years to the battle 
of Arabella, 331, B, C, when Alexander the Great conquered 
them. 

Are we in the feet of brass, Grecia? No, are we in the 
legs of Iron, Eome,. Eome was divided into ten kingdoms, 
Babylon, Medo Persia, Grecia, and Eome are things of the 
past. As universal empires they have been swept into the 
ocean of Eternity. The territory and people are still there, 
but the dominion is gone forever. We are at present on the 
toes of the image, the ten kingdoms. We have passed the land" 
mark except the last in this line of prophecy and the next 
great event will be the setting up of Gods Kingdom. 

This line of prophecy commences more than twenty five 
centuries in the past. It reaches on from that far distant 
point past the rise and fall of kingdoms ; past the setting up 
and over throw of empires. Past cycles and ages; past our- 
own day over into the Eternal state. 

It is so comprehensive that it embraces all these, yet it is- 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 235 

SO minute that it gives us all the great times of earthly 
kingdoms from that day to this. 

Human wisdom never set forth so hrief a record which 
embraces so much. 

Human language never expressed in so few words so great 
a volume of his truth. 

The finger of G-od is here; the .stately steppings of the 
majesty of the Heavens are manifested. Let us study the les- 
sons that history teaches; God's great plan in saving a fallen 
world. Take courage, fellow pilgrims traveling to that glor- 
ious country, where the inhabitants shall not say, I am sick 
and to that city which hath foundation whose builder and 
maker is God. 

There is a spirit of unrest among the inhabitants of earth* 
The dark clouds are gathering, omens of the coming storm 
which will soon burst in fury upon those that have not taken 
shelter. There is a company being organized to emigrate to 
that glorious land where we all can have an inheritance. And 
Jesus the Savior is the organizer and leader and he stands at 
the door knocking, ssking our enrollment. And the journey 
will not be verj^ long ; for we shall soon reach the golden gate 
of this stupendous prophecy, and when time, in his on- 
ward flight shall have reached the signs here predicted we 
shallhave reached an end of all human history, the Kingdom 
of God. Grand provision for a new and glorious dispensation 
in which his people shall find a happy terminus of this world's 
sad degenerate and changing career ; transporting change for 
all the righteous from gloom to glory, from strife to peace, 
from a sinful to a holy world ; from death to life, from tyrany 



236 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

and oppression to the happy freedom and blessed privilege of 
a Heavenly kingdom. 

Glorious transition from weakness to strength, from the 
changing and decaying to the immortal and Eternal home at 
last. 

God is good. His mercy endureth forever. 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 237 

MY SAVIOR FIRST OF ALL. 



When my life work is ended, and I cross the swelling tide, 
"Wthen the bright and glorious morning I shall see; 

I shall know my Redeemer, when I reach the other side, 
And his smile will be the first to welcome me. 

Cho. 

I shall know him, I shall know him, and redeemed by his side 

I shall stand, 
I shall know him, I shall know him by the print of the nails in- 

his hand. 

O, the soul thrilling rapture, when I view his blessed face 

And the lustre of his kindly beaming eye; 
How my full heart will praise him for the mercy, love and grace, 

That prepares for me a mansion in the sky. 

Cho. 

I shall know him, I shall know him, and redeemed by his side 

I shall stand, 
I shall know him, I shall know him by the print of the nails in 

his hand. 

O, the dear ones in glory, how they beckon me to come. 
And the parting at the river I recall; will ever fall; 

To the sweet vales of Eden they will sing my welcome home, 
But I long to meet my Savior first of all. 

Cho. 

I shall know him, I shall know him, and redeemed by his side 

I shall stand, 
I shall know him, I shall know him by the print of the nails in. 

his hand. 

Thro' the gates to the city in a robe of spotless white. 
He will lead me where no tears shall ever fall; 

In the glad song of ages I shall mingle with delight. 
But I long to meet my Savior first of all. 

Cho. 

I shall know him, I shall know him, and redeemed by his side 

I shall stand, 
I shall know him, I shall know him by the print of the nails in. 

his hand. 



■238 THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 

THE PREACHER'S VACATION. 



The old man went to meeting, for the day was bright and fair, 
Tho' his step was slow and tottering, and it was hard to travel 

there. 
But he hungered for the Gospel, so he trudged the weary Way 
On the road so rough and dusty, 'neath the sun's hot burning 

ray. 
By and by he reached the building, to his soul a holy place, . 
Then he paused and wiped the sweat drops from off his wrinkled 

face; 
But he looked around bewildered, for the old bell did not toll, 
And the doors were shut and bolted and he did not see a soul; 
So he leaned upon his pilgrim staff and said: "What does it 

mean?" 
And he looked this and that way, till it seemed to him a dream. 

He had walked the dusty highway, and he breathed a heavy 

sigh, 
Just go once more to meeting ere the summons came to die. 
Soon he saw a little notice tacked upon the meeting door, 
So he limped along to read it, and he read it o'er and o'er; 
Then he wiped his dusty glasses and he read it o'er again. 
Till his limbs began to tremble and his eyes were full of pain. 
As the old man read the notice how it made his spirit burn, 
"Pastor absent on vacation; church is closed till his return." 
Then he staggered slowly backward and sot him down to think. 
For his soul was stirred within till he thought his heart would 

sink. 



So he moved along and wondered to himself and soliloquized: 
I have lived till almost eighty and was ne'er so surprised; 
As I read that saddest notice stuck on the meeting house door: 
Pastor absent on vacation, never heard the like before. 
Why, when I first joined the meeting very many years ago. 
Preachers traveled on the circuit in the heat and through the 

snow; 
If they got their clothes and victuals 'twas but little cash they 

got. 
They said nothing about vacation, but were happy in their lot. 
Would the farmer leave his cattle or the shepherd leave his sheep. 
Who would give them care or shelter, or provide them food to 

eat? 



THE OBJECT OF FREE MASONRY. 239 



So it strikes me very singular, when a man of holy bonds 
Thinks he needs to have vacation and forsakes his tender lambs. 
Did St. Paul get such a notion? Did a Wesley or a Knox? 
Did they in the heat of summer turn from their needy flocks? 
Did they shut up their meeting just to go and lounge about? 
Why, surely then, if this they did, Satan would raise a shout. 
Do the taverns close their doors just to take a little rest? 
Why, 'twould be the height of nonsense, for their tra^d^-would be 

distressed. 
Did you ever know it happen or hear anybody tell 
Satan absent on vacation and closed the doors of hell? 

And shall preachers of the Gospel pack their trunks and go 

away. 
Leaving saints and dying sinners to get along as best they may? 
Are the souls of saints' and sinners valued less than selling beer, 
Or do preachers tire quicker than the rest of mortals here? 
Why it is I cannot answer, but my feelings they are stirred. 
Here I've dragged my tottering footsteps to hear the Gospel word. 
But the preacher is a traveling and the meeting house is closed. 
I confess it's very trying, hard indeed to keep composed. 
Tell me, when I tread the valley and go up the shining height, 
Will I hear no angels singing, will I. see no gleaming light? 

Will the golden harps be silent, will I meet no welcome there? 
Why, the thought is most distressing, 'twould be more than I 

could bear. 
Tell me, when I reach the city over on the other shore, 
Will I find a little notice tacked upon the Golden door? 
Tell me, mid dreadful silence, written words that cut and burn, 
Jesus absent on vacation; Heaven closed till his return. 

THE METHODIST. 



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